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THE GEOGRAPHY OF 
TEXAS 

PHYSICAL AND POLITICAL 



BY 



FREDERIC WILLIAM SIMOXDS, Ph.D. 

I) 

PltOFE.SSOK OF GEOLOGY IX THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 



REVISED EDITION 



The eduoattMl citizen should know the state in which he lives 



GINN AND COMPANY 

BOSTON • NEW YORK • CHICAGO • LONDON 






COPYRIGHT, 1905, 1914, BY 
FREDERIC WILLIAM SIMONDS 



ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
514.5 



JUN 17 r9i4 



qrbc atftcngum jgregg 

GINN AND COMPANY* PRO- 
PRIETORS • BOSTON • U.S.A. 



©C1.A376321 



^ 



PREFATORY NOTE 



In the preparation of this text, which necessarily covers 
a somewhat varied field, I have, in general, been guided 
by the following works : 

ON PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY 

The Reports of the Geological Survey of Texas, under the direction 
of E. T. Dumble, state geologist. Austin, 1890-1893. 

'' Notes on the Physical Geography of Texas," by Ralph S. Tarr. 
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences. Philadelphia, 
August 29, 1893. 

" The Physical Geography of the Texas Region," by Robert T. 
Hill. Folio 3 of the Topographic Atlas of the United States. Wash- 
ington, United States Geological Survey, 1900. 

" Physical Geography, Geology, and Resources of Texas," by E. T. 
Dumble. Chapter IV, Volume 2, of A Comprehensive History of 
Texas, edited by Dudley G. Wooten. Dallas, William G. ScarfE, 
1898. 

" The Geology of the Edwards Plateau and the Rio Grande 
Plain adjacent to Austin and San Antonio, Texas," by Robert T. 
Hill and T. Wayland Vaughan. Eighteenth Annual Report of the 
United States Geological Survey, Part II, pp. 193-321. Washington, 
1898. 

" Geography and Geology of the Black and Grand Prairies, 
Texas," by Robert T. Hill. Twenty-First A nn ual Report of the United 
States Geological Survey, Part VII. Washington, 1901. 

"A Gazetteer of Texas" (second edition), by Henry Gannett. 
Bidletin of the United States Geological Survey, No. 224 (Series F, 
Geography, 36). Washington, 1904. 

V 



vi PREFATORY NOTE 



ON WATER POWER AND IRRIGATION 

"The Water Power of Texas," by Thomas U. Taylor, C.E., 
M.C.E. Transactions of the Texas Acade7uy of Science, Yolume IV, 
Part II, No. I. Austin, 1902. 

"Irrigation Systems in Texas," by William Ferguson Hutson. 
Water- Supply and Irrigation Papers of the United States Geological 
Survey, No. 1^5. Washington, 1898. 

"Rapid Progress in Irrigation," article in the Texas Almanac and 
State Industrial Guide for 1904. Published by the Galveston-Dallas 
News. 

" Rice Irrigation in Texas," by Thomas U. Taylor. Bulletin of 
The University of Texas, No. 16. Austin, 1902. 

" Rice Growing on the Coastal Prairies," article in the Texas 
Almanac and State Industrial Guide for 1904. Published by the 
Galveston-Dallas News. 

ON CLIMATE 

" The Climatic Conditions of Texas, especially with Reference to 
Temperature and Rainfall." Report of the Chief Signal Officer 
[A. W. Greely] of the Army. Fifty-Second Congress, First Session, 
Executive Document No. 5. Washington, 1892. 

"The Climate of Texas," by Isaac Monroe Cline, M.A., M.D. 
United States Department of Agriculture, Weather Bureau, Texas 
Weather Service, Special Bulletin No. 4. Galveston, 1894. 

ON VEGETATION 

" The Ecological Relations of the Vegetation of Western Texas," 
by Dr. William L. Bray. Contributions from the Hull Botanical 
Laboratory, XXX. The Botanical Gazette, Chicago, Volume 32, 
August, September, and October, 1901. 

" Texas Forests and the Problems of Forest INIanagement for the 
Long-Leaf Pine Lands," by Dr. William L. Bray. The Forester, 
Volume 7, pp. 131-138. Washington, June 7, 1901. 

" The Timber Pines of the Southern United States," by Charles 
Mohr, Ph.D. Bulletin No. 13, United States Department of Agri- 
culture, Division of Forestry. Washington, 1896. 



PREFATORY NOTE vii 

"Forest Resources of Texas," by William L. Bray. Bulletin 
No. 47, United States Department of Agriculture, Division of 
Forestry. Washington, 1904. 

" The Timber of the Edwards Plateau of Texas," by Williani L. 
Bray. Bulletin No. 49, United States Department of Agriculture, 
Division of Forestry. Washington, 1904. 

ON FAUNA 

"American Animals," by Witmer Stone and William Everitt 
Cram. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1902. 

"Handbook of Birds of the Western United States," by Florence 
Merriam Bailey. Boston and New York : Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 

1902. 

" Key to North American Birds," by Elliott Coues. Boston : Dana 

Estes & Co., 1903. 

" The Crocodilians, Lizards, and Snakes of North America," by 
Edward Drinker Cope. Report of the United States National Museum 
for 1898, pp. 153-1270. Washington, 1900. 

"The Poisonous Snakes of North America," by Leonhard 
Stejneger. Report of the United States National Museum for the 
Year ending June 30, 1893, Part II, pp. 337-487. Washington, 
1895. 

" The Poisonous Snakes of Texas, with Notes on their Habits," 
by J. D. Mitchell. Transactions of the Texas Academy of Science, 
Volume V, pp. 19-48. Austin, 1903. 



ON MINERAL RESOURCES 

The Reports of the Geological Survey of Texas, under the direc- 
tion of E. T. Dumble, state geologist. Austin, 1890-1893. 

Bulletins 1-5, inclusive, of The University of Texas Mineral Sur- 
vey, William B. Phillips, director. Austin, 1901-1902. 

The Mineral Industry, edited by Richard P. Rothwell. New 
York: The Scientific Publishing Company, 1893-1900. 



viii PREFATORY NOTE 

ON HISTORY 

" Historical Sketch of Texas," by George Pierce Garrison, Ph.D 
Chapter II of The Government of the People of the State of Texas. 
Phihidelphia : Eldredge and Brother, 1900. 

Texas a Contest of Civilizations, by George P. Garrison. Boston 
and New York : Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1903. 

ON GOVERNMENT 

The Constitution of the State of Texas. 

The Government of the People of the State of Texas, by George 
Pierce Garrison, Ph.D. Philadelphia: Eldredge and. Brother, 1902. 

ON EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 

Official Reports. 

ON RAILROADS 

Reports of the Railroad Commission of the State of Texas. 

" The Railroads of Texas, with Glimpses of the Country through 
which they pass." The Texas Almanac for 1868, pp. 118-116. Gal- 
veston, 1868. 

"The Development of the Present Texas Railway System," by 
R. A. Thompson, Assoc. M. Am. Soc. C. E., chief engineer, Railroad 
Commission of Texas. Transactions of the Texas Academy of Science, 
Volume IV, Part I, pp. 57-80. Austin, 1901. 

ON POPULATION, AGRICULTURE, AND MANUFACTURES 

Reports of the Twelfth Census. 

I desire to record here my indebtedness to my colleague, 
Dr. George P. Garrison, and to the Hon. R. L. Batts, of 
the Austin bar, for valuable suggestions rehxting to his- 
tory, government, and education ; also my indebtedness to 



PREFATORY NOTE ix 

Dr. H. Y. Benedict, for substantial aid in selecting repre- 
sentatives of the bird fauna, and to Mr. R. A. Thompson, 
chief engineer, and Mr. H. G. Askew, auditor, of the Rail- 
road Commission of Texas, for assistance in the preparation 
of the railroad statistics. I am furthermore indebted to 
Dr. William B. Phillips, late director of The University of 
Texas Mineral Survey ; to Dr. William L. Bray, head of 
the School of Botany ; to Dr. A. M. Spurgin ; and to Mr. 
J. M. Kuehne for the use of many excellent photographs, 
reproductions of which appear among the illustrations. 
My thanks are also due to my assistant, Mr. Alexander 
Deussen, for suggestions and help such as can only be 
given by one closely associated with the writer in his work ; 
to Mrs. Grace Murray Stephenson for the final reading of 
the manuscript; and to Dr. H. E. Bolton for expert 
advice covering numerous difficult points. Many of the 
diagrams, tracings, and maps used in the text have been 
skillfully drawn by Mr. John W. Pritchett, a student of 
the Engineering Department of the University. 

FREDERIC W. SIMONDS 



ADDITIONAL NOTE 

In the preparation of this revised edition use has been 
made of the following publications : The bulletins of the 
Thirteenth Census upon Population, Agriculture, Cotton, 
and iNlanufactures ; various issues of the Crop Meporter, 
published by authority of the Secretary of Agriculture ; the 
Tie enty -first Ammal Report of the Railroad Commission of 
the /State of Texas for the Year 1913; the Ammal Report 
of the Treasurer of the State of Texas to the G-ovemor for 



X PREFATORY NOTE 

the Fiscal Year ending August 31^ 1912 ; the Eighteenth 
Biennial Report of the State Department of Education for 
the Years ending August 31^ 1011 and August 31, 1912 ; 
the Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide for the 
Years 1910, 1911, and 1912 ; the American Ba^ik Reporter, 
Vol. LXXXVI, June, 1918 ; the Official Luiustrial and 
Freight Shippers^ Directory of the Missouri, Kansas and 
Texas Railway System for 1912-1913 ; and many local 
articles descriptive of the various cities and towns of the 
state. The author again acknowledges his indebtedness to 
many persons who have kindly assisted him in securing 
much unrecorded information. 

FREDERIC W. SIMONDS 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. — The State — Introduction — Location— ^^^es 
Boundaries — Area — Political Divisions — Cities and 
Towns ^-^ 

CHAPTER II. — Geology — The Relation of Geology to 
Physical Geography — Kinds of Rocks— Sedimentary 
Rocks — Igneous Rocks — Altered or Metamorphic 
Rocks — The Rocks of Texas — The Geological Map 

— Recent and Neocene Systems — Eocene System — 
Cretaceous System — Jura-Trias System — Permian 

System Carboniferous System — Ordovician and 

Cambrian Systems — Archaean System 6-14 

CHAPTER III. — Relief and Soils — Classification of 
Relief — Region of the Gulf Slope — The Coastal 
Plain — The Forested Area — The Rio Grande Plain 

— The Black and Grand Prairies — Region of the 
Central Basin — Region of the Plateaus — Region of 
Mountains and Basins — Soils — Residual Soils — 
Transported Soils 15-30 

CHAPTER TV. — Surface and Underground Waters 

— Kinds of Drainage — The Gradient of Some Texas 
Rivers — Navigation of Rivers— Lakes — Water Power 

— Irrigation — Artesian Water — Springs .... 31-38 
CHAPTER y. — Climate — Rainfall — The Distribution 

of Rainfall by Months — Temperature — Cold Waves, 

or "Northers" — Winds — Sunshine 39-48 

CHAPTER VI. — Vegetation — General Statement — 
Forests — The East Texas Timber Belt — The Post 
Oak Country and the Cross Timbers — The Forest 
Growth of the Edwards Plateau — The Trans-Pecos 



xii CONTENTS 

Forest Growth — Vegetation of the Coast Prairie — pages 
Vegetation of the Rio Grande Plain — Vegetation of 
the Prairie Plains and the Plateaus — Life Zones — 
Characteristic Plants and Animals 49-62 

CHAPTER VII. — Fauna— The Animal Life of Texas 

— Mammals — Birds — Reptiles and Amphibians — 
Fishes — Invertebrates 63-81 

CHAPTER VIII. — Industries — Agriculture — Cotton 

— Cereals — Fruit and Vegetables — Nuts — Other 
Agricultural Products — Stock Raising — Wool Grow- 
ing — Poultry, Honey, and Wax — Manufacturing — 
Manufacturing Industries 83-95 

CHAPTER IX. — Mineral Resources — Coal and Lig- 
nite — Oil (Petroleum) — Asphaltum (Mineral Pitch) 

— Natural Gas — Iron Ores — Quicksilver, or Mercury 

— Gold and Silver — Copper and Lead — Salt — Sul- 
\)Yiur — Gypsum, Lime, and Cement Rocks — Clay — 
Building and Ornamental Stones — Fertilizers . . . 96-111 

CHAPTER X. — Railroads — The Pioneer Railroads — 
Railroad Construction during and since the Civil War 

— Railroad Systems : Southern Pacific System ; Gould 
System ; Santa F6 System ; " Katy " (Missouri, Kansas, 
and Texas) System ; Denver System ; Rock Island Sys- 
tem ;" Frisco " System — Other Railroads . . . .112-120 

CHAPTER XL — Important Events in Texas History 

— Early Attempts at Settlement — French and Span- 
ish Claims. The Missions — Spanish Rule and the 
Anglo-American — The Louisiana-Texas Boundary. 
Magee's Invasion — Lafitte — Long's Invasion — Aus- 
tin's Colony — Mexican Irritation — The Texas Revo- 
lution — The Alamo, Goliad, and San Jacinto — The 
Republic of Texas — The State of Texas . -. . . .121-129 

CHAPTER XII. — The Government — The Legislative 
Department — The Executive Department -^The Judi- 
cial Department — Presidents of the Republic of Texas 

— Governors of the State of Texas 130-133 



CONTENTS xiii 

CHAPTER XIII. — Education — The Public Schools— pages 
The State Permanent School Fund — The County Per- 
manent School Fund — The Available School -Fund — 
Sam Houston Normal Institute — North Texas State 
Normal College — Southwest Texas Normal School — 
The West Texas Normal College — Prairie View State 
Normal and Industrial College — The College of In- 
dustrial Arts for Young Women — The Agricnltural 
and Mechanical College of Texas — The University of 
Texas — The William M. Rice Institute — Denomina- 
tional Colleges — Libraries — Eleemosynary Institu- 
tions — Penal Institutions 134-148 

CHAPTER XIV. — Population — General Statement — 
Elements of Population — Native White Population 

— Colored Population — Foreign-Born Population . . 149-155 

CHAPTER XV. — The Principal Cities of Texas — 
San Antonio — Dallas — Houston — Fort Worth — 
El Paso — Galveston — Austin — Waco — Beaumont 157-193 

CHAPTER XVI. — Cities and Towns having between 
Ten and Fifteen Thousand Inhabitants — Laredo 

— Denison — Sherman — Marshall — Paris — Temple 

— Brownsville — Palestine — Tyler — Cleburne — 

San Angelo ^ 194-200 

CHAPTER XVIL — Cities and Towns having between 
Five and Ten Thousand Inhabitants — Amarillo 

— Texarkana — Corsicana — Abilene — Greenville — 
Corpus Christi — Wichita Falls — Port Arthur — 
Gainesville — Terrell— Brownwood — Houston Heights 

— Waxahachie — Hillsboro — Ennis — Orange — 
Taylor — Longview — Sulphur Springs — Weatherf ord 201-211 

CHAPTER XVIII. — Cities and Towns having be- 
tween Twenty-Five Hundred and Five Thou- 
sand Inhabitants — Bonham — Denton — Brenham 

— McKinney — Yoakum — Sweetwater — Belton — 
Bryan — Uvalde — ^Mineral Wells — Crockett — Stam- 
ford — ^larlin — Childress — Victoria — Ballinger — 



xiv CONTENTS 

Eagle Pass — Nacogdoches — Teagiie — Navasota — pages 
Beeville — Cameron — Veniou — Siiiithville — New 
Braunfels — Bay City — Gouzales — Quauah — Seguin 
— Cuero — Georgetown — Coleman — Lockhart — 
Mart — Jacksonville — Bowie — Plainview — Com- 
merce — Comanche — Lnfkin — Mexia — Brady — 
Dalhart — Calvert — Stephenville — Dublin — Jeffer- 
son — Snyder 212-230 

APPENDIX. — Thk C(»rNTiKS of Texas: Name, Area, 

Population, and County Seat 231-238 

INDEX 239-253 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



The State Capitol at Austin Frontispiece 

FIG. PAGE 

1. Fragment of Limestone showing Patellina texana .... 7 

2. Geological Map of Texas 9 

3. Diagram illustrating the Arrangement of Strata in the 

Gulf Slope 10 

4. White Drifting Sands in Ward County 11 

5. Ram's-Horn Oyster 12 

6. A Relief Map of Texas 16 

7. Delta Shore Lines of the Texas Coast 17 

8. Delta and Distributaries of Trinity River 18 

9. Ideal Section in Eastern Part of the Forested Area ... 19 

10. View on the Plains between Childress and Matador . . .21 

11. Childress. " A City of the Plains " 22 

12. Scene on Stockton Plateau. Fort Stockton in the Distance 23 

13. Scarp of the Staked Plains, Blanco Canyon, Crosby County 24 

14. Northeast Point of Chisos Mountains, Brewster County . 25 

15. East End of Elephant Head, Brewster County 26 

16. Study Butte, Brewster County 26 

17. Black Mesa, Brewster County 27 

18. View towards the Foothills of Quitman Mountains ... 28 

19. Pump Canyon, Rio Grande at Langtry 33 

20. Casa Canyon, near Devil River 33 

21. Marble Falls on the Colorado River. A Natural Dam . . 35 

22. Artesian Well on Bosque Farm, Four Miles West of AVaco . 36 

23. Map showing the Artesian Water Areas of Texas ... 37 

24. Map of Texas showing the Mean Annual Rainfall in Inches 40 

25. Diagram of tlie Mean Monthly Rainfall at Six Stations . 41 

26. Map of Texas showing the Mean Annual Temperature and 

the Iron and Quicksilver Areas 43 

27. Eighty-Five Varieties of Texas Cacti 50 

XV 



xvi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

FIG. PAGE 

28. Map of Texas showing the Wooded Areas 51 

29. Swamp and Bayou Scene near Beaumont 53 

30. Palmetto and Oak Growth on the East Fork of San Jacinto 

River 53 

31. Long-Leaf Pine Forest of the Louisiana-Texas Aroa ... 54 

32. Cedar Growth on Hill West of Shoal Creek, Austin ... 56 

33. Rocky ]\Iountain Cedars and Oaks on the Summit of Chisos 

Mountains, Brewster County 57 

34. Cottonwood Timber, Saucito, Presidio County 57 

35. Live Oak Motte, West of Austin 58 

36. The Staked Plains. Yucca and Grass 59 

37. Map of Texas showing the Life Zones 01 

38. Mexican Boll Weevil 64 

39. Nine-Banded Armadillo 65 

40. Texas Peccary or Wild Hog 65 

41. American Bison or Buffalo 66 

42. Mocking Bird 68 

43. Cardinal or Redbird 68 

44. Lark Sparrow or Lark Finch 68 

45. Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher 68 

46. Texas Bob White 70 

47. Killdeer 70 

48. Ring-Billed Gull 72 

49. Horned Lizard 73 

50. Harlequin or Coral Snake 75 

51. Cottonmouth or Water JVIoccasiu 76 

52. Edwards' Massasauga 76 

53. Texas Rattlesnake 77 

54. Channel or Eel Cat 79 

55. Yellow or I\Iud Cat 79 

56. Large-ISIouthed Black Bass 79 

57. Red Snapper 80 

58. Southern Flounder 80 

59. Cotton in the Railroad Yard at Houston 82 

60. Map of the Texas Cotton Area 85 

61. A Texas Cotton Field 86 

02. Map of Texas showing the Rice Belt and the East Texas 

Fruit Reuiou .87 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xvii 

FIG. PAGE 

Go. Japanese Rice Farmers near Port Lavaca, Calhoun County 89 

(U. Rice Threshing at Raywood, Liberty County 89 

().5. Texas Cowboys 91 

GG. Cattle at a Water Tank on the Plains 91 

G7. A West Texas Ranch House 92 

G8. A Pecos County Ranch House 93 

G9. Angora Goats, Boquillas, Brewster County 93 

70. Map of the North Texas Coal Field 97 

71. A Texas Coal Mine, Thurber, Erath County 98 

72. jNIap of Texas showing the Lignite, Coal, and Petroleum 

Areas 99 

73. The Beatty Gusher, Beaumont Oil Field, 1901 .... 100 

74. Scene in the Sourlake Oil Field, Hardin County, 1901 . . 101 

75. A Burning Gas Well near Corsicana 103 

7G. The Terlingua Mining Company's Furnace (Quicksilver), 

Terlingua, Brewster County 104 

77. Quarry at Granite Mountain, Burnet County 109 

78. A Part of the Pecos River Viaduct 116 

79. The Alamo, San Antonio 127 

80. Sam Houston Normal Institute, Main Building, Hunts ville 13 G 

81. Sam Houston Normal Institute, Peabody Library Building 136 

82. North Texas State Normal College, Denton 137 

83. Southwest Texas State Normal School, San Marcos . . . 138 

84. College of Industrial Arts, Denton 139 

85. View of a Part of the Campus of the Agricultural and 

Mechanical College 140 

86. Agricultural Building, Agricultural and Mechanical College 141 

87. The University of Texas, Main University, Austin . . . 142 

88. The University of Texas, Medical Department, Gal- 

veston 143 

89. A Partial View of the State Institution for the Blind, 

Austin 146 

90. Deaf and Dumb Asylum (Texas School for the Deaf), 

Austin 146 

91. State Insane Asylum, Austin 147 

92. Southwestern Insane Asylum, San Antonio 147 

93. Map of Texas showing the Distribution of the Negro Poi>- 

ulation by Counties 151 



xviii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

FIG. PAGE 

94. Map of Texas showing the Distributiou of the Mexican 

Population by Counties 152 

95. Map of Texas showing the Distribution of the German 

Population by Counties 153 

96. Alamo Plaza, San Antonio . . . . • 156 

97. Courthouse and Main Plaza, San Antonio 159 

98. Federal Building, San Antonio 159 

99. City Hall and Military Plaza, San Antonio 161 

100. View on West Commerce Street, San Antonio .... 161 

101. The Missions near San Antonio 163 

102. Main Street, Dallas 165 

103. The Adolphus Hotel, Dallas 165 

104. Dallas Public Library 166 

105. The Busch Building, Dallas 167 

106. Railroad Map of the Dallas-Fort Worth Region . . . .169 

107. Map showing Houston as a Railroad Center 171 

108. The Rice Hotel, Houston 172 

100. Houston High-School Building 173 

110. Tarrant County Courthouse, Fort Worth 174 

111. Texas and Pacific Passenger Station, Fort A\'orth . . . 175 

112. Street Scene, Fort Worth 176 

113. Carnegie Public Library, Fort Worth 177 

114. City Hall, Fort Worth 177 

115. View of a Part of El Paso, showing Mount Franklin . . 179 

116. El Paso County Courthouse, El Paso 179 

117. City Hall, El Paso 180 

118. An El Paso Smelter 181 

119. Wharf Sheds and Steamships at Galveston 183 

120. Building the Galveston Sea Wall 184 

121. A Completed Section of the Galveston Sea Wall . . . 185 

122. View from the Top of the Galveston Sea Wall . . . .185 

123. (ialveston, looking west from the Courthouse .... 186 

124. General (State) Land Office, from Cajdtol Grounds, Austin 188 

125. Street Scene, Austin 188 

126. Seton Infirmary, Austin 189 

127. View in the Corsicana Oil Field 203 

128. County Map of Texas 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



CHAPTER I 

THE STATE 

1. Introduction. Geography is preeminently the science 
which treats of the earth and its phenomena in their rela- 
tions to mankind. From this point of view an attempt will 
be made in the following pages to present those features 
which render Texas especially attractive as a dwelling place 
for man : its location in the South and on the Gulf of 
Mexico ; its vast extent of territory ; its rocks and great 
variety of soils ; its relief, which, exclusive of the Trans- 
Pecos mountains, ranges from a few feet on the coast to 
four thousand feet in the Panhandle ; its rivers, available 
for water power and irrigation ; its springs and artesian 
wells; its climate, including rainfall and temperature, 
winds and sunshine — a climate varying from semitropical 
and humid in the southeast to arid, semiarid, and temperate 
in the west and northwest ; its forests and other vegeta- 
tion ; its native animals and game ; and its agricultural, 
stock, and mineral resources. Furthermore, attention will 
be directed to the sacrifices made by man in securing a 
just and stable government and to the magnificent results 
of his labor thus far attained as shown by the largest 

1 



2 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

railroad mileage of any state in the Union, the excellent 
j^ublic institutions maintained, and the many beautiful 
cities and towns already built. 

The chief source of the wealth of Texas lies in its 
enormous acreage of arable lands, which even now produce 
supplies not only for home consumption but for other 
countries as well; and yet their present yield but faintly 
indicates that of the future which, by improved methods 
of cultivation, will be increased many fold. 

2. Location. Texas may be easily located. If a map of 
our country be examined we shall find, first, that, with the 
exception of Florida, it is the most southerly state ; and, 
second, that although a " Gulf state," its position is mid- 
way between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. If it 
be located on the earth's surface by means of latitude and 
longitude, we shall find it to lie between the parallels of 
26° and 36° 30' north and the meridians of 93° 30' and 
106° 30' west from Greenwich.^ 

3. Boundaries. A state or country is usually bounded 
by naming the adjoining states, countries, or bodies of 
water. Thus Texas is bounded on the north by Arkansas, 
Oklahoma, and New Mexico; on the east by Louisiana 
and Arkansas, and, in the Panhandle region, by Oklahoma ; 
on the south by the Republic of Mexico and the Gulf of 
Mexico ; and on the west by New Mexico and the Republic 
of Mexico. 

The geographer may employ another method. He may 
bound a state without mention of the neighboring political 
divisions. With the map of Texas before us let us trace 
the boundary of the state. We may begin at the outlet of 

1 Gannett, "A Gazetteer of Texas." Bulletin of the United States 
Geological Survey, No. 224, p. 9. Washington, 1904. 



THE STATE 3 

Sabine lake in the southeast. Passing northward through 
that body of water, we ascend the Sabine river to a poiiit 
where it crosses the 3 2d parallel. Here our course becomes 
due north until we reach the Red river. Ascending that 
stream until the 100th meridian is reached, we again turn 
due north and so continue to the point of meeting of the 
parallel of 36° 30', where we turn to the west. Following, 
now, that line until the 103d meridian is reached, we turn 
our faces southward and continue in that direction to the 
32d parallel. Here we again change our course, following 
that parallel to the Rio Grande. Lastly, descending that 
river, we follow th3 Gulf coast to the starting point. 

The Gulf of Mexico, Sabine lake and river. Red river, 
and the Rio Grande are natural boundaries; the lines 
followed, running in this instance north and south and 
east and west, are the surveyed boundaries. 

4. Area. A glance at the map of the United States will 
show that Texas is the largest state in the Union. For 
this reason it contends with New York for the title of 
"Empire State." Its area is 265,780 square miles. As 
about 3490 square miles are covered with Avater, the land 
surface may be estimated at 262,290 square miles. 

If we compare the area of the state with that of the 
United States, exclusive of Alaska and the Philippines, 
we shall find that it forms between the eleventh and 
twelfth part. If we compare it with the southern states 
east of the Mississippi, we shall find that it exceeds the 
combined areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 
Alabama, and Florida by over 12,500 square miles, or two 
sevenths of Tennessee. Compared with France and Ger- 
many, it exceeds the former by 61,633 square miles and 
the latter by 57,037 square miles. 



4 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The distance across the state in two directions, namely, 
from the pomt of intersection of the 3 2d parallel and the 
Rio Grande to that of the 31st parallel and the Sabine 
river, and from the mid point of the northern boundary of 
the Panhandle to the month of the Rio Grande, is about 
the same. It may be roughly stated at 770 miles. 

5. Political Divisions. Texas is divided into 252 coun- 
ties, of which 247 are "organized," that is, have county 
officers for administering the laws and for conducting 
their business affairs, and 5 are "unorganized," chiefly 
on account of the scarcity of inhabitants. The latter are 
in the region of the Llano Estacado, on or near the Texas- 
New Mexico boundary, west of the 10 2d meridian and 
north of the Rio Pecos. Dallas County has the largest 
population (135,748), and Cochran the least, 65.^ In area 
the counties vary greatly, from Rockwall with 149 square 
miles to El Paso with 5573 square miles.^ In their physical 
features, their products, and, in not a iew instances, their 
inhabitants, there is also a wide divergence ; but as these 
variations are usually characteristic of larger sections of 
the state than counties, they are susceptible of broader 
treatment. As a matter of fact, the county must be con- 
sidered as a convenience on the part of the state, its officers 
as agents in the enforcement of local government. 

6. Cities and Towns. There are in Texas four cities with 
populations exceeding seventy thousand. They are San 
Antonio (96,614), Dallas (92,104), Houston (78,800), and 
Fort Worth (73,312). There are also five cities with popu- 
lations ranging between twenty and forty thousand, namely. 
El Paso (39,279), Galveston (36,981), Austin (29,860), 

1 Bulletin of the Thirteenth Census^ 1910, "Population : Texas, Number 
of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions," p. 3. 



THE STATE 5 

Waco (26,425), and Beaumont (20,(340). Of the smaller 
cities and towns eleven have populations between ten and 
fifteen thousand, twenty have populations between five and 
ten thousand, and fifty-one have populations between 
twenty-five hundred and five thousand.^ 

1 Based on Bulletin of the Thirteenth Census, 1910, " Population : Texas, 
Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions." 



CHAPTER II 
GEOLOGY 

7. The Relation of Geology to Physical Geography. There 
is a close relation between the underlying rocks of a coun- 
try and its surface features, such as relief, soil, water 
supply, mineral resources, climate, and life. If we are to 
understand the physical geography of Texas, we must 
know something of its rocks, their composition and dis- 
tribution, their position, whether horizontal or inclined, 
their susceptibility or resistance to the eroding or carving 
effects of atmospheric and aqueous agents, their disin- 
tegration and decay, — in brief, we must study its geology. 

8. Kinds of Rocks. Rocks may be classed in various 
ways. For our purpose they may be grouped into three 

divisions : 

1. Sedimentary or Stratified Rocks. 

2. Igneous Rocks. 

3. Altered or Metamorphic Rocks. 

9. Sedimentary Rocks are those which have been forme 1 
in water — we usually say deposited in water. They are 
made up of layers, or strata (singular stratum)^ and for 
that reason are called stratified rocks. 

Some sedimentary rocks have been formed by the wast- 
ing away and decay of older rocks. Such, for example, 
are shale, which is hardened mud or silt, and sandstone, 
which is composed of grains of a hard mineral called 
quartz. Others have been formed from the shells and 

6 



GEOLOGY 



skeletons of sea and fresh-water animals, such as oysters, 
clams, and other mollusks, corals, and the like. By the 
dashing of the waves along the shore they have been 
broken into fragments, or even ground to a pulp. From 
such material limestones have been formed. 

Again, far out upon the surface of the sea there are 
found myriads of lowly animals called foramin if ers, living in 
minute shells. They die and their shells fall to the bottom, 
where, mingled with other deep- 
sea deposits, they form ooze. This 
is the first stage in the forma- 
tion of a rock called chalk, which 
is another kind of limestone. 

It sometimes happens that 
water in whicli mineral matter 
is dissolved evaporates. When 
this takes place the mineral mat- 
ter Avill be deposited in beds or 
strata. Beds of 7'ock salt and gyp- 
sum liave been formed in this way. 

Of the rocks found in Texas, 
sedimentary rocks are by far 
the most abundant. 

10. Igneous Rocks are those which have been formed 
by the cooling of melted mineral matter. Such rocks are 
common about volcanoes. They are also found at times 
filling cracks and fissures in the earth's crust. If they have 
been formed in masses far below the surface, they are now 
seen only where the overlying beds have been worn away. 

As examples of igneous rocks mention may be made of 
granite (so named from its crystalline or grainlike struc- 
ture) ; basalt, a dark volcanic rock which is cut by joints into 




Fig. 1. A Fragment of Lime- 

STOXE FROM ONE OF THE CrE- 

TACEOus Beds of Texas 

Showing the shells of a large Fora- 
minifer named PatelUnatexana 



8 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

many-sided columns ; pumice^ a hardened rock froth ; and 
lava of various kinds. 

In Trans-Pecos Texas there are lava outpourings ; on the 
Coastal plain a few widely separated outbreaks of basalt ; 
and in Burnet and Llano counties outcrops of granite. 

11. Altered or Metamorphic Rocks are either sedimentary 
or igneous rocks which have been changed by the action 
of heat. They have been baked in the, presence of mois- 
ture and sometimes under great pressure. The effect of 
this varies with different rocks. Some are only hardened ; 
others are changed in a chemical way, new minerals being 
formed by the rearrangement of the matter of which they 
are composed ; and others still are altered in color and in 
general appearance. These are some of the results of 
metamorphism (change). 

As an example of this change may be mentioned the 
hardening of some sandstones into a rock called quartzite, 
or the alteration of ordinary limestone into marble. 

Some altered rocks break easily in the direction of their 
bedding, — the minerals of which they are composed are 
arranged in bands or layers. Such rocks are termed schists. 
Others break into thin plates across their bedding. They 
are slates. 

12. The Rocks of Texas. With the exception of a small 
area known as the "Burnet country," or "Central Mineral 
region," all of Texas east of the Staked plains, as well as 
the region of the Edwards and Stockton plateaus, is under- 
lain by rocks of inarine origin, that is, by sea deposits. The 
Staked plains, however, are capped by nonmarine deposits. 

In the Trans-Pecos region of mountains and basins there 
are found not only marine and nonmarine deposits but 
also igneous and altered rocks. 



GEOLOGY 



13. The Geological Map. The various rock systems, 
arranged m the order of their age, the youngest or latest 



GEOLOGICAT. MAP 

OF 




Fig. 2 

formed at the top and the oldest at the bottom, are as 
follows : 



1. Recent (top). 

2. Neocene. 

3. Eocene. 

4. Cretaceous. 



5. Jura-Trias. 

6. Permian. 

7. Carboniferous. 

8. Devonian.^ 



9. Sikirian.i 

10. Ordovician. 

11. Cambrian. 

12. Archaean (bottom). 



Their distribution in Texas is shown on the accompany- 
ing geological map. It will be seen that they outcrop, for 

1 At present not known in the state. 



10 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

the most part, in a series of more or less parallel belts or 
strips running in a northeast and southwest direction. 
Moreover, until the Staked plains are reached, each belt, 
beginning with that bordering the Gulf of Mexico, is of a 
greater age than the preceding. The rocks of the Burnet 




Fig. 3. Diagram illustrating the Arrangement of Strata 
IN THE Gulf Slope 

After K. T. Hill 

The layers incline or dip from the northwest to the southeast, that is, towards 
the Gulf. The upper surface on the left represents the outcroppings of 
successively older strata as the distance from the Gulf coast increases. The 
side view represents a geologic section in which the order of superposition 
of the strata is shown 

country before mentioned form an exception to this 
statement. 

14. Recent and Neocene Systems. The latest formed 
marine rocks are those bordering the coast. They are made 
up of sand, clay, and silt, and in them are found the remains 
of animals, chiefly shells, now living in the Gulf. This first 
belt, which underlies the Coastal plain, is of the Recent and 
Neocene systems. On account of their great similarity, 
they have not been separately indicated on the map. 

It is well to remember in this connection that, geologic- 
ally speaking, a rock need not be hard, but that any matter 
forming a part of the earth's crust is a rock, be it a mass 
of granite or a bed of sand or clay. 

The Staked plains formations have also been classed 
as Recent and Neocene, but, unlike the preceding, they 



GEOLOGY 



11 



are of nonmarine origin. The Recent deposits which are 
here found on the surface consist of silt, sand, gravel, 
and sometimes bowlders. Beneath them are encountered 
the rocks of the Neocene system in the form of sands, 
clays of various colors, sandstones, and limestones. 

Along the southwest border of the Staked plains the 
Neocene beds rest upon those of the Cretaceous, but north 




Fig. 4. White Drifting Sands, Six Mii ks North of Moxahax's, 
Ward County 

of the Double Mountain fork of the Brazos river they 
rest upon the Jura-Trias. Some of the strata afford fossils 
representing parts of the skeletons of such animals as the 
elephant, horse, and camel. 

15. Eocene System. The outcropping beds of Eocene 
rocks form the second belt across the state. They are 
composed of sands, sandstones, claj^s of different colors 
from white to black, thin-bedded limestones, etc. Beds of 
lignite^ an inferior kind of coal, are often found. 



12 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The lignite beds are usually lens-shaped — thick in the 
middle and thinning out towards the margin — and of 
limited extent, thus differing from true coal seams which 
usually form continuous layers over large areas. In some 
instances the lignite beds have a thickness of twelve or 
more feet. 

Petrified wood and gypsum are also found in the Eocene 
formation, and in East Texas beds of workable iron ore. 
The presence of oil and natural gas should also be noted. 

16. Cretaceous System. Further inland the outcropping 
Cretaceous rocks form a rather broad band stretching from 

the Red river to 
the Rio Grande. 
Viewed as a whole 
they are lime- 
stones, but there 
Fig. 5. Ram's-Horn Oyster {Exogyra ariethia) are also beds of 

This fossil, characteristic of the Delrio formation Sand, clay, and 
of the Texas Cretaceous, occurs in great abun- gJ^r^J^g Some of the 
dance at several points on Shoal creek, Austin 

chalky beds con- 
tain the remains of forammifers. Other limestones are 
composed of mollush shells, either whole or in a fragmental 
state. In short, we find in the rocks of this system both 
deep-sea and shore deposits. 

The Black and Grand prairies, as well as the Edwards 
plateau, are underlain by Cretaceous limestones. Creta- 
ceous sands are the reservoirs of a large artesian water 
supply ; and an upper member of the system, the Taylor 
formation, is the source of oil at Corsicana. 

17. Jura-Trias System. Skirting the eastern scarp of the 
Staked plains there is a narrow band of nearly horizontal 
strata composed of sandstone and a coarse pebbly rock 






GEOLOGY 13 

called conglomerate^ together with clay. Its proper posi- 
tion is between the rocks of the Permian system and those 
of the Cretaceous. Generally speaking, however, it appears 
between the Permian rocks and the Staked plains for- 
mations already described, the Cretaceous rocks being 
absent. 

18. Permian System. Rocks belonging to the Permian 
and Carboniferous systems appear, for the greater part, 
in a basin lying between the Staked plains and the Grand 
prairie (consult the relief map). The line of contact be- 
tween them is not yet well established. Beds that have 
hitherto been called Permian occupy the western and 
larger part of the basin. Here are found clay, sand, 
limestone and gypsum deposits. On account of their 
widespread red color they are usually spoken of as the 
" Red beds." The occurrence of Permian rocks in the 
Guadalupe mountains and in their southeastern extension, 
the Delaware mountains, Culberson county, has been re- 
cently reported. 

19. Carboniferous System. These rocks form the " buried 
floor" upon which the Cretaceous rocks were deposited. 
They consist of limestones, shales, and sandstones, together 
with seams of coal, several of which are valuable. Beds of 
clay are also found. The term *' Coal measures " is often 
applied to these rocks. Carboniferous deposits are also 
known in the Hueco and Diablo mountains and at other 
points in the Trans-Pecos country. 

20. Ordovician and Cambrian Systems. The oldest strati- 
fied rocks found in Texas occur in two rather limited areas 
— one near El Paso, and the other near the center of the 
state surrounding exposures of granites and schists. In 
the last mentioned resfion the Ordovician rocks are in the 



14 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

form of thick, heavy-bedded limestones, while those of the 
Cambrian are chiefly sandstones alternating Avith limestones. 

21. Archaean System. Beneath the rocks of the Cambrian 
system there is a series of beds which have been named 
the " Llano group." It consists of schists and other 
altered rocks which, with the underlying and intruded 
granites, represent the Archaean system. 

Granite is a rock made up of quartz, feldspar, and mica. 
The feldspar is often of a pinkish color, and it is this min- 
eral which gives to the Capitol at Austin its peculiar tint. 
The quartz is sometimes glassy and transparent, or it may 
be of a milky-white color. In the Capitol granite the 
mica is of the black or biotite variety and may be easily 
recognized by its thin scaly layers. When visiting the 
Capitol, its large, highly polished corner stone should be 
examined. 



CHAPTER III 
RELIEF AND SOILS 

22. Classification. The inequalities of the earth's sur- 
face, such as its slope, undulations, hills, mountains, 
plateaus, and valleys, constitute its relief. From this 
point of view Texas may be divided into the following 
regions : 

1. Gulf Slope. 

2. Central Basin. 

3. Plateaus. 

4. Mountains and Basins. 

23. Region of the Gulf Slope. This region, which in- 
cludes that part of the state lying to the south and east 
of the Central basin and the Edwards plateau, may be 
separated into the following divisions : 

a. The Coastal Plain. 

h. The Forested Area. 

c. The Rio Grande Plain. 

(l. The Black and Grand Prairies. 

24. The Coastal Plain skirts the Gulf. It is a low, flat, 
and, generally, treeless region. For this reason it is often 
called the Coast prairie. On its outer margin it rises 
twenty to thirty feet above the sea, gradually increasing 
in elevation towards the interior. Its width on the Sabine 
river is about thirty miles, but it widens to the westward, 
reaching a hundred miles or more on the Brazos and Colo- 
rado rivers. Beyond the latter river it merges with the 

15 



16 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Rio Grande plain from which it is separated by an indefi- 
nite and somewhat arbitrary boundary, the chief distinction 
being of a geologic character. That which is here desig- 
nated as Coastal plain is underlain by the latest formations 



o 
o o 






w 










Fig 



6. A Relief Map of Texas on which the Chief 
Topographic Divisions are indicated 



From a Relief Map of the United States modeled by Edwin E. Howell. 
Copyright, 1892. Used by permission 



— the Recent and Neocene — while the Rio Grande plain, 
which extends from the coast to the base of the Cretaceous 
highlands, is underlain not only by these but by earlier 



RELIEF A^D SOILS 



17 



formations (see Fig. 2). Though crossed by many streams, 
the drainage of the Coast prairie is poor. The water ways 
are but a few feet below the general level, and between 
them there are many swampy intervals. It is an excellent 
example of a recently formed plain. 

Deltas. The effects of recent stream building are ap- 
parent at several points along the coast, giving rise to 
" delta shore lines." 
The waste of the Rio 
Grande has produced 
a marked outward 
encroachment upon 
the waters of the 
Gulf, and the com- 
bined action of the 
Colorado and Brazos 
rivers has given rise 
to a similar though 
not so conspicuous 
result. The Trinity 
river, which empties 
into Galveston bay, 
has formed a true 
delta with distribu- 
taries. So great is 
the accumulation here that the delta deposits now extend 
nearly across the head of the bay, cutting off a body of 
water called Turtle bay, as shown in Fig. 8. 

Peninsulas and Islands. The conflict between the sea and 
the land has given rise to the long narrow peninsular and 
island barriers fringing the Gulf coast of the state, so admira- 
bly exemplified in Matagorda peninsula and Padre island. 




u z F o F 



MEXICO 



Fig. 



7. Delta Shore Lines of the 
Texas Coast 



18 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The waste brought down by the larger rivers is now, as 
in the past, extending the Coastal plain seaward. On the 
other hand, the prevailing winds and waves, assisted by 
currents and, it may be, by tides, are resenting the inva- 
sion, forcing back the sand and silt, and molding them into 
their present forms. Between these barriers and the older 
land are included bodies of shallow water known as lagoons 



Delta Deposits 

Low Ground with Vegetation 

Sandy Deposits 

Shallow Water 

Deeper Water 




Fig. 8. Delta and Distributaries of Trinity River 

and hays. Furthermore, so great is the amount of waste 
brought down by the streams that the agents above men- 
tioned fail to distribute the entire burden, in consequence 
of which the mouths of the rivers are obstructed by bars. 
As long as river water is in motion it will carry large 
quantities of mineral matter mechanically suspended, but 
when the motion ceases, such matter will fall or settle to 
the bottom. On this principle bars are formed, and the 



RELIEF AND SOILS 19 

point of their formation on the Texas coast is where the 
velocity of the river currents is checked by the waters of 
the Gulf. 

25. The Forested Area. In eastern Texas the Coast 
prairie is followed on its inner margin by a rolling country 
and the appearance of a forest growth, hence the name 
'^ Forested area." Further inland the relief produced by 
the wearing of the streams becomes more marked. The 
formation of broad, deep valleys has left numerous hills, 
flat-topped and capped with beds of sandstone or iron 



1, sands and clays; 2, beds of iron ore; 3, greensand beds 
Fig. 9. Ideal Section in Eastern Part of the Forested Area, 

SHOWING THE FlAT-ToPPED HiLLS 

After Penrose 

ore, some of which make small plateaus. They represent 
the surface of a former plain. 

The greatest elevation of this area may reach seven hun- 
dred feet, but its average height above the sea is much 
less, probably three to four hundred feet. 

While this division is, for the most part, underlain by 
rocks of the Eocene system, its boundaries do not quite 
conform to those of the rocks, especially on the south. 

Beyond the Colorado river the forest growth becomes 
scant, giving place to that suited to a semiarid region. 
Here, too, the Eocene and Coastal formations present relief 
features so similar that they need not be considered apart. 

26. The Rio Grande Plain. That part of the Kio Grande 
plain wliich lies within the state embraces the area between 
the Gulf and the Balcones scarp. It blends with the 



20 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Coastal plain on the east, and on the northeast with the 
Coastal plain, the Forested area, and the Black prairie. It 
is underlain by rocks of the Recent, Neocene, and Eocene 
systems, and on its inner margin by those of the Creta- 
ceous ; yet there are no sharp contrasts in relief until the 
Balcones scarp is reached : here the change is sudden, — 
a plain below, a plateau above. 

27. The Black and Grand Prairies. This division occu- 
pies that part of the Gulf slope lying between the Forested 
area and the Central basin northeast of the Colorado river. 
It is underlain by successive outcrops of Cretaceous strata. 
While the boundary between the Black and Grand prairies 
is geological, resulting from the outcrop of certain beds, it 
is marked for a considerable distance by the Eastern Cross 
timbers. A somewhat similar growth, the Western Cross 
timbers, skirts the western margin of the Grand prairie. 

The Black Prairie presents a gently undulating surface and 
is unrivaled for the fertility of its deep, black soil. Austin, 
Waco, and Dallas are within its area. A low, in facing scarp 
follows the general direction of the Eastern Cross timbers. 
Although termed a prairie, it must not be understood that 
this region is entirely without trees, as its streams are 
often fringed with a growth of timber and over its surface 
there are found occasional clumps of live oaks. Its alti- 
tude varies from four hundred feet or less on its eastern 
border to six or seven hundred on its western. 

The Grand Prairie resembles the Black prairie. It is, 
however, underlain by harder limestone. From its eleva- 
tion and general character it is plateau-like. In its north- 
ern and eastern portions it is comparatively level, excepting 
where cut or dissected by the streams. To the south and 
southwest the encroaching valleys and rapid wearing away 



RELIEF AND SOILS 



21 



of the rocks have left numerous flat-topped hills and 
divides. Its western border is also marked by an infacing 
scarp through which the older streams of the Central basin 
have cut their way. This scalloped margin represents the 
retreating edge of the rocks that once extended far over 
the Central basin. The Grand prairie attains a maximum 
altitude of about a thousand feet. 

28. Region of the Central Basin. This basin lies between 
the region of the Gulf slope on the east and that of the 




Fig. 10. View on the Plains between Ciiildkess and Matador 



plateaus on the west. It is separated into two parts by a 
hilly watershed between the Brazos and Colorado rivers, 
known as the " Callahan divide." ^ Here stream wear 
and rock decay have not yet completely severed the con- 
nection between the prairie region and that of the plateaus, 

1 See " riiysical Geography of the Texas Region," by Robert T. Hill 
(Folio 3, Topographic Atlas of the United States), p. 7. Washington, 1900. 



99 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



as is shown by the fiat, limestone-capped liills. Widely 
separated but similar hills are found both to the north 
and to the south. 

Within the Central basin there is a varying relief depend- 
ing upon the hardness or softness of the underlying rocks. 
In the area of the Carboniferous, for example, where shales 
prevail, there are stretches of level prairie; where sand- 
stones and other hard rocks occur, hills and vallevs. 




Fig. 11. Childkess. 



A City of the Plains" 



In the Permian or Red beds area, on account of the 
softness of the rocks, the relief is not prominent, the gen- 
eral effect being that of a series of rolling plains. 

The southern part of the basin includes the granite area 
of Burnet and Llano counties, with its fringe of Cambiian 
and Ordovician rocks. The relief liere developed is so 
strong as to be spoken of as " mountainous." 

29. Region of the Plateaus. The region of the plateaus 
is well marked. It is separated from the Central basin by 
an eastward-facing escarpment, and from the Rio Grande 
plain by a dislocation of the underlying rocks known as 



RELIEF AND SOILS 23 

the Balcones scarp. It is limited on the south by the 
Rio Grande and on the southwest by the Trans-Pecos 
mountains, while its western boundary is the valley of the 
Rio Pecos in New Mexico. 

This region consists of the following divisions: 

a. The Stockton Plateau. 
h. The Edwarda Plateau. 
c. The Staked Plains, or the Llano Estacado. 

The Stockton Plateau is the smallest of the three divi- 
sions, embracing the area between the Rio Pecos and tho 




Fig. 12. Scene on Stockton Plateau 
Fort Stockton in the distance ; a mesa in the background 

Trans-Pecos mountains, an area cut off from the Edwards 
plateau by the Pecos valley. Its general appearance is 
well shown in Fig. 12. 

The Edwards Plateau is a continuation of the Grand 
prairie, from which it has been separated by the valleys 
cut by the Colorado river and its tributaries. Like the 
Grand prairie it is underlain by Cretaceous rocks. Along 



24 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



its eastern and southern margins it has been much dis- 
sected and, as a result, is fringed with flat-topped hills. 
(Such hills are seen along the Colorado river west of 
Austin.) The summit is in the form of a level plain. 
From an altitude of about a thousand feet along its eastern 
and southern scarps the plateau rises towards the north- 
west, where it blends imperceptibly with the Staked plains. 




Fig. 13. Scarp of the Staked Plains, Blanco Canyon, 
Crosby County 



The Staked Plains, or the Llano Estacado, are underlain by 
softer rocks. They are very level, — "so level as to pro- 
duce the peculiar appearance of being uphill in every 
direction," — yet they really dip quite gently to the south- 
east. Along their eastern margin or scarp they are deeply 
cut by steep-walled valleys, or canyons, which have been 
formed by the wearing action of the head waters of the 
Red, Brazos, and Colorado rivers. In the northwestern 



RELIEF AND SOILS 



25 



part of the Panhandle this region attains a height of over 
four thousand feet. 

30. Region of Mountains and Basins. Between the Rio 
Grande on the one side and the Rio Pecos and the 
Stockton plateau on the other there are two or more lines 
of mountain elevation. The first includes the Guadalupe 




ElG. 14. NOKTHEAST POINT OP ChISOS MOUNTAINS, IgNEOUS RoCK, 

Brewster County 

igtva-da-loo'pd), Davis, Ord, Santiago (sati-te-ci'gd), Cor- 
azones {cor-(i-sd'nes), Rosillos {rd-siVijos), and Chisos 
{che'sos) mountains. 

The highest point in the state is Guadalupe peak, 
9500 feet,i in the range of that name just south of the 

1 These altitudes, excepting that of Santiago peak, are from "A Map 
of Texas and I'arts of Adjoining Territories," compiled by Robert T. 
Hill, and published by the United States Geological Survey, 1899. 




Fig. 15. East End of Elephant Head, Igneois Kogk, Terlingua 
Quicksilver District, Brewster County 




Fig. 16, Study Butii . >i dimentary Deposits capped with Igne- 
ous Rock, Terlingua Quicksilver District, Brewster County 

26 



RELIEF AND SOILS 



27 



Texas-New Mexico boundary. It presents to the south 
and west an abnost perpendicular face several thousand 
feet high. Mount Livermore, in the Davis mountains, 
has a height of 8382 feet ; Santiago peak, south of Alpine, 




Fig. 17. Black Mesa 

A dome of Lower Cretaceous limestone due to the intrusion of igneous rock, 
as seen from Mariposa Store, Terlingua, Brewster county 

6800 feet ; and Mount Emory, in the Chisos mountains, 
9000 feet. 

The Guadalupe mountains are made up largely of 
Permian rocks. The Sierra Diablo is an old dissected 
highland capped with Carboniferous rocks. The Davis, 
known also as the Limpia, the Corazones, and the Chisos 
mountains are volcanic. There are also flat-topped moun- 
tains, or mesas, capped with volcanic rock, the remains of 
an old igneous outpouring. 



28 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The second line of elevations enters the state with the 
Hueco {iver'co) mountains, and is continued by the 
Finlay, Quitman, Eagle, and Vieja {ye-d'hd) mountains. 

In these mountains there are found granite and other 
igneous rocks, as well as Carboniferous and Cretaceous 
limestones. The Chinati mountains are volcanic. 

Between the mountains of Trans-Pecos Texas there are 
numerous basins or flats. These plains, though elevated, 




Fig. 18. View towards the Foothills of Quitman Mountains 



differ from ordinary plateaus. They are not capped with 
hard layers, but are usually covered with the waste brought 
down from the adjoining slopes. 

This is a region of sudden contrasts. From the sandy 
plains mountains quickly rise, sometimes alone, some- 
times in groups ; here sharp summits are outlined against 
the sky, there great rounded domes ; again flat-topped 
mesas appear, with steep scarps and deeply cut ravines. 



RELIEF AND SOILS 29 

Salt basin lies for the most part between the Delaware 
mountains, a southeastern extension of the Guadalupe 
mountains, and the Sierra Diablo. Its interior drainage 
is collected in a series of salt lakes. The Rio Grande is 
said to flow through a chain of old basins, connected by 
canyons, until it reaches the apex of the Great Bend in 
Brewster county. 

31. Soils. The thin, unconsolidated outer covering of 
the earth which supports vegetation is known as soil. 
According to its origin it is of two kinds : 

a. That formed from the decay of the underlying rocks, 
called residual soil. 

h. That formed of materials carried to their present 
position by water, ice, or wind, called transported soil. 

32. Residual Soils. The residual soils of Texas vary with 
the geologic formations from which they have been derived. 
On the Coastal plain they are sandy or clayey, that is com- 
posed of the waste of the older rocks of the state which, 
having been deposited in the Gulf, Avas later added to the 
land. Some of the clays form a black waxy soil. These 
recently formed soils are in many localities well adapted to 
market gardening, rice growing, or fruit culture. 

The soils of the Forested area have also been derived 
from sands and clays. In the pine region they are not 
very fertile. Some of the clays form black waxy soils, as 
in the prairies of Washington and Grimes counties. The 
red soils of the East Texas uplands are rich and well 
suited for fruit growing. 

The soil of the Black prairie is of the black waxy 
variety. It is derived from the underlying Upper Creta- 
ceous rocks and is exceedingly rich. The soil of the Grand 
prairie is likewise derived from Cretaceous rocks, but from 



30 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

those belonging to the lower division. It is thinner and 
more rocky than the preceding, but where of sufficient 
depth it forms excellent farming land. 

The soil of the Edwards plateau is thin and of little 
value for agriculture. 

In the Central basin the soil varies with the character 
of the underlying rocks. In the southern part it is derived 
from the decomposing granite. In the wider part of the 
basin, to the north, it is from the Carboniferous and Per- 
mian rocks. The soil in the Carboniferous area is in some 
instances black and rich ; in others sandy, limy, or clayey, 
depending upon its origin. In the Permian area there is 
a limy or clayey soil of a reddish or brown color, well 
suited to the growth of wheat. 

The residual soils of the Llano Estacado, for the most 
part, have been derived from the sediments of an ancient 
Neocene lake. They consist of brownish and reddish 
loams. Where irrigation has been carried on they produce 
well. At present, however, the lands of this region are 
devoted to pasturage. 

33. Transported Soils. The most important variety of 
transported soil to be here considered is that known as 
alluvial. It fills the valleys of many rivers and streams 
and is made up of transported materials, the product of 
stream wear at numerous points. This is the soil of the 
" bottoms," and in some cases, where streams have carved 
their valleys deeper, there are two bottoms. The alluvial 
lands of the Brazos are among the most fertile in the 
state. Other valuable bottoms are found along the Red, 
Trinity, Colorado, Guadalupe, and Nueces rivers. 

On the Llano Estacado the transported soils consist of 
drift, wash, and wind-l)lown deposits. 



CHAPTER IV 

SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND WATERS 

34. Kinds of Drainage. The drainage of a country is 
represented by its rivers and their tributaries. If we 
examine the relief map of Texas, we shall find that the 
principal water courses follow the general slope of the land, 
that is, that the main streams flow in a southeast direc- 
tion to the Gulf. Taking the rivers as a whole, it may be 
shown that they represent at least five kinds of drainage. 

1. The drainage of the recently formed Coastal plain, 
which is just being established. Here the stream channels 
are but a few feet below the general level, while between 
them there are divides as yet undrained. 

2. The drainage of the older portions of the Coastal slope, 
where the streams are of greater age and cover a larger 
area. They may be either independent or tributaries. 
This drainage is represented by the Sulphur fork of Red 
river, the Sabine, Neches, and Angelina rivers, the Nava- 
sota, Little river, and other branches of the Brazos, and 
by many tributaries of Trinity river. The larger part of 
the drainage of the Guadalupe and Nueces rivers should 
be included in this division. 

3. The drainage of the Central basin, which is repre- 
sented by upper portions of the Red, Trinity, Brazos, and 
Colorado rivers. They are the oldest streams in the state 
and have extended their channels through the successive 
additions as the land grew gulfward. 



32 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

4. The drainage of the plateaus, of which the head waters 
of the Giiadahipe, Nueces, and other streams are examples. 

5. The drainage of the Rochy rtioimtains, represented by 
the Canadian, a member of the Arkansas river system, the 
Rio Grande, and its tributary, the Rio Pecos. 

The Rio Grande "is subject to wide variations in vol- 
ume at different times of the year. From southern New 
Mexico to the mouth of the Pecos it is often dry late in 
summer, Avhile in the springtime it is a powerful torrent." 

35. The Gradient of Some Texas Rivers. At El Paso, 
1030 miles from its mouth, the Rio Grande is 3700 feet 
above the sea level ; at the mouth of the Pecos, 1000 feet. 
At Roby, in Fisher county, 710 miles above the mouth of the 
Brazos, Clear fork has an altitude of 1900 feet, and the Col- 
orado, 519 miles above its moutli, an altitude of 1800 feet. 

36. Navigation of Rivers. Generally speaking, the rivers 
of Texas are not navigable, though in some instances ves- 
sels of light draught may ascend a few miles above their 
mouths. This defect may in time be remedied in a great 
measure by " river improvements," such as dredging, the re- 
moval of obstructions, and the building of dams and locks. 

37. Lakes. The lakes of Texas are small. They occur 
mostly on the Coastal slope and in the Plateau region. 
Among those of the Coastal slope are Caddo lake on the 
Louisiana-Texas boundary. Clear lake in Harris county. 
Grand lake in Montgomery county. Eagle lake in Colo- 
rado county, Austin lake m Matagorda county, and 
Espantosa lake on the line between Zavalla and Dimmit 
counties. There are also a number of salt lakes on the 
Coastal plain near the mouth of the Rio Grande. 

On the Staked plahis there are many small bodies of 
water, both permanent and temporary. Some are salt. In 





IT 


p 






k 


ii^ 


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iW 


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j^'"' 


*-^i? « 


jwfi^^^^s^i 




JH 


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iii.: 


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EiG. lU. Tlmp Canyon, Kio Grande at Langtry 




FiG. 20. Casa Canyon, near Devil River, Val Verde County, 
ON THE Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway 
(Southern Pacific) 



33 



M THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Salt basin, between the Delaware mountains and the Sierra 
Diablo, there are numerous salt lakes resulting from the 
interior drainage. 

38. Water Power. West of the Colorado river there are 
many streams having their sources in the large springs of 
the Edwards plateau or in those bursting forth at the base 
of its southern scarp, which, with low dams, would afford 
excellent water power. The larger streams of the state, as 
the Colorado and the Brazos, are also utilized at many 
points, but they are subject to unusual floods and also to 
a great diminution of volume in dry seasons. 

On the Guadalupe river, between Cuero and Ingram, 
there are not less than twelve plants (dams with the neces- 
sary machiner}' ) where water furnishes the power for pump- 
ing, milling, etc., and on the San Marcos many others. 
The latter stream rises in a magnificent spring over which 
the water is now backed by a dam erected a quarter of a 
mile below. It furnishes the power by wliich the town of 
San Marcos is supplied with water and electric light. 

At Marble Falls, on the Colorado, the river is checked 
by a natural limestone dam, affordmg a total fall of twenty- 
two feet. Below this the river descends rapidly through 
a deep canyon where enormous water power will soon be 
developed by a dam now m the process of construction. 
Lower down, at Austin, a dam 65 feet high is also being 
built. When completed it will furnish power for municipal 
purposes — city water and electric liglit. Above this dam 
the Colorado valley will be converted into an artificial 
lake exceeding twenty miles in length. 

39. Irrigation. In addition to water power there are 
many streams which supply water for irrigation, or the 
artificial watering of the land. This is done by means of 



SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND WATERS 



35 



dams for raising and storing the water and by systems of 
distributing ditches. The waters of the Pecos are used 
for this purpose at several points, as are also those of the 
North Concho, a tributary of the Colorado. San Filepe 
creek, near Delrio, furnishes water both for power and for 
irrigation, as does the San Saba at Menardville. These 




Fig. 21. Marble Falls ox the Colokado Kiver ; 
A Natural Dam 



are a few examples of what has been done to render arid 
and semiarid lands productive. 

Irrigation by pumping has become of first importance 
on the Coastal plain, especially since the introduction of 
rice and truck growing. The pumps, often of great 
power, are operated by steam or gasoline. One pumping 
station will furnish water for many acres. The rivers, 
small lakes, artesian and even ordinary wells are the 
sources of water supply. 



36 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



40. Artesian Water. Where water cannot be obtained by- 
digging ordinary wells, it is sought for by boring or drilling. 
When underground waters are reached by this method, they 
often burst forth under pressure, sometimes even throw- 
ing a stream high in the air, at other times rising many 

feet in the drill hole 
without reaching 
the surface. Such 
waters are called ar- 
tesian. Their source 
is far away and they 
have traveled long 
distances through 
sandy and other rock 
layers which must 
be inclined. In arid 
or semiarid regions, 
or where the surface 
supply is very irreg- 
ular, artesian wells 
are of the greatest 
value both for drink- 
ing and for irrigat- 
ing purposes. 

The artesian area 
is almost entirely 
confined to the Gulf 




Fig. 22. Artesian Well on Bosque Farm, 
(as it appeared in 1890) Four Miles 
West of Waco, McLennan County, and 
248 Feet above tAe Public Square 



slope. Thus far wells have shown the existence of water- 
bearing strata in certain formations belonging to four of 
the rock systems — the Neocene, the Eocene, the Creta- 
ceous, and the Carboniferous. The waters of the last, in 
the Central basin, contain so much mineral matter as to be 



SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND WATERS 



37 



of little value, and some of the wells near the coast furnish 
brackish or sulphurous waters. Of the water-bearing beds, 
those of the lowermost Cretaceous, known as the Trinity 




Fig. 23. Map showing the Artesian Water Areas of Texas 
The sign • in many cases represents groups of wells 

sands, are the most valuable in the state, on account of 
the good quality of the water and its abundant flow. 

Artesian water is struck at various depths, and usually more than 
one water-bearing stratum is encountered in the same well, especially 
if it be a deep one. The well at Marlin, 3330 feet, is said to be the 



38 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

deepest in the state. Water was encountered at 3200 feet and at 
the bottom. The latter flow is warm and has a pressure of nearly a 
hundred pounds to the square inch. The experimental well at Gal- 
veston is 3070 feet deep. Water was encountered at nine different 
horizons, the strongest flow probably at 2920 feet. This well was a 
disappointment to the citizens, as it furnished brackish water. The 
average depth of the wells at Waco is estimated by R. T. Hill at 1842 
feet.^ Good flows have been obtained from two horizons. At Fort 
Worth four horizons have been encountered, the best flow being that 
obtained at the depth of a thousand to twelve hundred feet. The 
wells at Denton furnish good supplies of excellent water from a 
depth slightly over six hundred feet. A well in the southern part 
of Houston county only fifty feet deep is said to have gushed several 
feet above the surface.^ The above statement will suflice to show 
the wide range of artesian conditions in the region of the Gulf 
slope. 

41. Springs. In addition to common springs which issue 
from beneath bluffs or well up near the banks of water 
courses, there is found in Texas a series of remarkable 
artesian sprmgs, often of large volume, which arise from 
fissures along the line of the Balcones displacement. 
They are usually in the form of beautiful pools of clear 
water. Such springs are found at Austin, Manchaca, San 
Marcos, San Antonio, Brackett, Delrio, and elsewhere. 

There are also in the state many mineral springs and wells, some 
of which, having achieved more than a local reputation for their 
curative powers, are now well known as resorts. As belonging to 
this class mention may be made of Mineralwells in Palo Pinto 
county ; Hynson's Iron Mountain Springs and Rosborough Springs, 
west and south of Marshall ; Wootan Wells in Robertson county ; 
and Dalby Springs in Bowie county. 

1 " Geography and Geology of the Black and Grand Prairies, Texas." 
Twenty-first Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, Part 
Vn, p. 539. Washington, 1901. 

2 Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide for 1904, p. 293. 



CHAPTER V 

CLIMATE 

On account of its large size, its nearness to the tropics, 
and its relief, Texas experiences a great variety of climate. 

42. Rainfall. The eastern part of the state is humid. 
Here the annual rainfall averages from fifty to sixty inches. 
Towards the west it gradually diminishes. In the region 
of the Black prairie, and south of it, forty to fifty inches 
fall. This is followed by a belt, including a portion of the 
Grand prairie and a portion of the Central basin, also 
extending to the Gulf, in which the rainfall is thirty to 
forty inches annually. Beyond this the rainfall steadily 
diminishes. At the foot of the Llano Estacado it amounts 
to about twenty inches, and on the plateau it is reduced 
to between ten and twenty inches. At El Paso it is about 
ten inches. 

It will be seen that while the eastern part of the state 
is plentifully watered, arid and semiarid conditions pre- 
vail in the west. With an annual rainfall of less than 
twenty inches, agriculture cannot be carried on without 
irrigation. 

In the eastern part of the state rain falls most abundantly 
in the winter. Its source is the Gulf of Mexico. In the 
west the greatest rainfall is during the summer months, 
and its source is chiefly the Pacific ocean. 

43. The Distribution of Rainfall by Months. "The ac- 
companying diagram. Fig. 25, shows the quantity and 

39 



40 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



average distribution of rainfall by months at a number of 
selected stations fairly typical of the state as a whole. The 
first of these is Galveston, on the coast, in the eastern part of 
the state. Here the average rainfall for twenty-seven years 
is 49.6 inches. As shown by the diagram, the months of 
heaviest precipitation are September and August, but in 





107° 


105° 103° 10 


99° 97'= 9 


' 


93° 






•■ 20 , 
















1 \ 




30 


/?,^ *o^ 




il 


-A. i 








N 


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Who 




TEXAS 




^ 




— . \ 




— ^ ^^ 


1 1 


1 


100 100 200 

1 1 1 


Miles 


N^ 


1 









Tig. 24. Map of Texas showing the Mean Annual Rainfall 
IN Inches 

every month, except February, an average of over three 
inches of rain has fallen. This is fairly typical of the dis- 
tribution of rainfall along the Gulf coast. The diagram 
next above this is for Austin, where the average rainfall 
for thirty-nine years is 33.4 inches. Here also there is 
an excess of precipitation in September, and a second 




1-11 1 1 1 1 1 1 l-l 



FORT ELLIOTT 



ill 



I 









FORT CLARK 






III 



■ I I 



I! 



AU5T IN 



I 



N 

il 



I- 






Fig. 25. Diagkam of the Meax Monthly Rainfall 
AT Six Stations 



The numbers on the right indicate inches 
41 



42 THE GEOGRAniY OF TEXAS 

maximum in May. Relatively to these months, June, 
July, and August are somewhat dry ; but in every month 
throughout the year there has fallen an average of over 
two inches of rain. 

" The next diagram in Fig. 25 above that for Austin is 
that for Fort Clark, or Brackettville. This is constructed 
from the average for twenty-nine years. The mean annual 
rainfall is 22.7 inches. Fort Clark is remote from the 
coast, and the distribution of its rainfall, though somewhat 
similar to that at Austin, having maxima in September 
and May, shows reduction in quantity, especially during 
the winter months. Next above the diagram for Fort 
Clark is that of Fort Elliott, situated far up in the Pan- 
handle of Texas, near the Oklahoma line. Here the quan- 
tity and distribution are fairly typical of the Great plains 
area. The diagram is derived from the mean observations 
extending over eleven years and giving an annual average 
of 23.2 inches. The month of greatest rainfall is May, Sep- 
tember being below the average. The rainy season may be 
said to extend from April to August. 

"In the upper part of Fig. 25 are two diagrams illus- 
trating the typical distribution of rain in Trans-Pecos 
Texas. This has been named by General Greely the 
Mexican type of rainfall. In these, particularly in the 
diagram for Fort Davis, obtained from twenty-six years' 
observations, the rainfall is seen to increase regularly from 
February to August and then to decrease rapidly to the 
end of the year. The greater part of the precipitation 
occurs during June, July, August, and September, at 
the time when most needed by the crops. The diagram 
for El Paso, from thirty-six years' averages, shows a rela- 
tively uniform but small precipitation throughout the year, 



CLIMATE 



43 



with the exception of the months of July, August, and 
September." ^ 

44. Temperature. The temperature of Texas varies 
greatly. This is due in part to the vast extent of the 
state, but chiefly to its relief and other geographic causes. 



107 105 103 101 



LEGEND 
\ l:\ Brown Iron Ores 

Magnetic a 
Iron Ores 

Quicksilver Ore 




Fig. 26. Map of Texas showing the Mean Annual Temperature 
(after Gannett) and the Iron and Quicksilver Areas 

Along the low Coastal plain there is a great uniformity, 
while in the elevated region of the Panhandle and in 
the Trans-Pecos country the extremes are often widely 

1 William F. Hutson, " Irrigation Systems in Texas." Water-Supply 
and Irrigation Papers of the United States Geological Surveij, No. 13, 
pp. 22-24. Washington, 



44 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

separated. Snow is of rare occurrence on the coast. 
Throughout the state, however, sudden changes — "drops" 
— in temperature are common, though of wider range and 
more noticeable in the winter than in the summer months. 
45. Cold Waves, or << Northers.*' " The term ' cold wave ' 
is a technical one, devised by the Signal Corps, to represent 
not the intensity of cold — save within certain limits — 
but rather to indicate the idea of very decided falls of 
temperature within such a limited time as to produce 
physical discomfort to mankind, cause injury to growing, 
vegetation, or work material harm to local interests. 
These sudden falls of temperature usually occur in Texas 
in connection with a north wind of considerable violence, 
which progresses with regularity from the northern bound- 
ary southward until its force is spent over the Gulf of 
Mexico, or its strength modified by other adverse meteoro- 
logical conditions. The name ' norther ' — from the direc- 
tion of the wind — is appropriately applied to these storms 
in Texas, Mexico, and other countries affected by them. 
The term 'norther' is, in the minds of most strangers to the 
state, associated with solely that of Texas, and many per- 
sons are under the erroneous impression that such storms 
are not only dangerous and frequent, but that they con- 
stitute a marked and special characteristic of the state as 
a whole. As a matter of fact, some parts of Texas are 
very rarely affected by northers, say not more than twice 
a year, and for fully one third of the state the norther is 
so light that its coming is usually hailed with satisfaction 
as a welcome and health-giving tonic, purifying the air 
and stimulating personal activity." ^ 

1 Report of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army [A. W. Greely] on the 
Climatic Conditions of the State of Texas, p. 16. Washington, 1892. 



CLIMATE 45 

46. Winds. The effects of a high summer temperature 
are greatly modified in most parts of Texas by the deflected 
Atlantic trade winds which blow quite steadily from the 
southeast. Immediately preceding a cold wave, however, 
the cessation of the southeast wind is followed by a short 
period of sultriness, which, of course, is not so well marked 
during the winter months. The wind, ordinarily termed 
'' norther," which accompanies a cold wave has usually 
expended its energy within twenty-four to forty-eight 
hours, although the return of the southeast wind may 
occasionally be delayed for a longer period. 

Northers when accompanied by rain are spoken of as 
" wet," and when accompanied by clear weather as " dry." 
In summer the approach of a norther is usually heralded 
by an electrical disturbance, and this is by no means rare 
at other seasons. Great masses of clouds — thunderheads 
— appear in the north, northwest, and less commonly, per- 
haps, in the northeast, and the display of lightning is very 
impressive. When a norther is accompanied by a low, dark 
blue or gray cloud stretching continuously across the hori- 
zon, it is termed a "blue norther," and many people are 
of the opinion that they can detect an odor like that of 
burning paper or a burning forest. 

" The mean direction of the wind over Texas for the 
different months of the year is as follows : December, 
January, and February the winds in the northwestern half 
of the state are largely northwesterly, with interruptions 
of southerly winds ; in the remaining parts of the state 
the winds are southerly or northwesterly, the first named 
direction being somewhat in predominance. During March 
southeasterly winds prevail, with the northwesterly direc- 
tion next in order of frequency, especially in northern 



46 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Texas. From April to November southeasterly winds very 
largely predominate, except during July and November, 
when the tendency is a little more southerly; but dur- 
ing these months interruptions of northerly or northwest- 
erly winds occasionally obtain, particularly over northern 
Texas." i 

At remote intervals the coast of Texas is visited by 
tropical hurricanes that apparently have been deflected 
from their normal course, and in at least two instances 
they have been productive of great disaster. 

The storm at Indianola, now Port Lavaca, in September, 
1875, was exceedingly severe, the wind reaching the ve- 
locity of one hundred miles an hour. "As at Galveston, 
enormous quantities of sea water were driven inland, and 
the greatest damage and loss of life occurred during the 
ebbing of the flood seaward." ^ The loss of life on this 
occasion reached one hundred and seventy-six, while the 
property loss was over one million dollars. 

In its destructive effects the Galveston storm of Sep- 
tember, 1900, ranks among the world's great calamities. 

" On the morning of the 7th the storm was central south 
of the mouth of the Mississippi river, and reports from Gulf 
coast stations furnished evidence of its marked strength and 
subsequent course. But neither these reports nor those of 
the morning of the 8th indicated a coordination of storm 
energies which would overwhelm Galveston island with 
waves of unprecedented magnitude from both the Gulf 
and the Bay. 

1 Report of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army on the Climatic Condi- 
tions of the State of Texas, p. 27, 

2 See " Hurricanes on the Coast of Texas," by General A. W. Greely, 
United States Army. National Geographic Magazine, Vol. XI, No. 11, 
November, 1900, p. 443. 



CLIMATE 47 

^' The principal agent of destruction at Galveston was 
water from the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston bay. The 
wind, which doubtless exceeded a velocity of 100 miles an 
hour, was chiefly important as a cause of the high seas. 
During the afternoon of the 8th the highest tide ever 
experienced at Galveston began to run in from the Gulf 
against the wind. This was a storm wave impelled by the 
advancing hurricane. Simultaneously waves from Gal- 
veston bay, driven by a northerly gale, covered the inner 
side of the island. 

" The geographical position and the topography of Gal- 
veston island render it, in the presence of severe storms, 
peculiarly subject to inundation. In common with all 
low-lying districts on the coasts of great bodies of water, 
it has occasionally been covered by high tides which have 
been caused either by on-shore gales of unusual severity 
or by waves which have run ahead of the vortex of a hur- 
ricane. On September 8th both of these causes contributed 
to the overflow of the island. The storm wave from the 
Gulf, combined with the influence of the gale which swept 
over thirty miles of water surface in the Bay, heaped water 
from both the Gulf and the Bay over the long narrow strip 
of sand which composes Galveston island. The floods thus 
produced exceeded by eight or nine feet any previous flood 
which has visited the city of Galveston, and the almost 
irresistible force of the enormous waves, together with the 
strength of the hurricane winds, resulted in a disaster which 
is without precedent in the history of the United States." ^ 

1 "The West Indian Hurricane of September 1-12, 1900," by E. B. 
Garriott, Professor of Meteorology, United States Weather Bureau. 
National Geographic Magazine^ Vol, XI, No. 10, October, 1900, pp. 391, 
392. 



48 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

47. Sunshine. The importance of sunshine as a climatic 
element cannot be overlooked. It is both health-giving 
and growth-producing. Dr. I. M. Cline, for a number oi 
years the representative of the United States Weather 
Bureau at Galveston, is the authority for the following 
statement : " The southeastern portion of the state has 35 
to 65 per cent, while the Trans-Pecos region and the Pan- 
handle have 65 to 75 per cent of the possible sunshine. 
Very few days pass in Texas without some sunshine. 
Along the Gulf coast it is approximated that the sun 
shines to some extent 320 days out of a year, and the 
number of days with some sunshine is greater than this 
over other portions of the state." ^ 

1 United States Department of Agricnlture, Weather Bureau, Texas 
Weather Service, Special Bulletin No. 4, 1894, p. 10. 



CHAPTER VI 
VEGETATION 

48. General Statement. The plants of Texas are of many 
kinds, ranging from the stately forests of the eastern border 
to the grasses and yuccas of the western plains ; from the 
luxuriant growths of the Sabine valley to the arid vegeta- 
tion of the Rio Grande. 

The chief causes of these variations are to be found 
in the abundant, moderate, and scanty rainfalls, and in the 
differences in altitudes, temperatures, and soils in the dif- 
ferent regions of the state. In the consideration of its 
plant life, therefore, the vast extent of Texas should not 
be lost to view, for within its borders we shall find the 
meeting points of several widely varying floras. 

49. Forests. The distribution of the forest growth is 
shown on the accompanying map (Fig. 28). It will tliere 
be seen that by far the larger part of the state is treeless, 
or, to be more precise, only about a fourth part is tim- 
bered. While some of the forests are very valuable for 
their timber resources, others furnish little of worth except 
posts, for fencing, and fuel. 

50. The East Texas Timber Belt. The forested region 
of eastern Texas is of the greatest importance. Here are 
found the long-leaf, the short-leaf, and the loblolly pines ; 
the cypress, which occurs along the streams ; and a great 
variety of hard woods, such as oak, hickory, ash, walnut, 
and beech. 

49 




50 



VEGETATION 



51 



In 1899 these forests furnished over one bilhon feet of 
kimber; in 1909, over two bilUon feet. Of the trees of 
this area the long-leaf pine is considered the most valu- 
able, though when sawed into lumber the three pines can 
scarcely be distinguished by an expert. 




Fig. 28. Map op Texas showing the Wooded Areas 
After Bray and Gannett 

" The forests of long-leaf pine extend from the Sabine 
west to the Trinity river and from the grassy savannas 
of the coast region north to the center of Sabine, San 
Augustine, and Angelina counties, and include an area of 
about 2,890,000 acres. In amount and quality of the tim- 
ber these forests are unsurpassed and are only equaled by 
the forest of the adjoining region in Louisiana. Toward 



62 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

their southern borders the country, like the pine flats of 
southwestern Louisiana, is perfectly level and poorly 
drained, with the soil water-soaked for the greater part of 
the year. These flats have been almost completely stripped 
of their merchantable timber. North of Nona the surface 
rises gradually above the water level in broad, low swells, 
and, being underlaid by strata of stiff loams, is more or less 
deficient in drainage. The intervening wide flats are fre- 
quently covered with a dense growth of large shrubs and 
small-sized trees consisting of various species of hawthorn, 
the deciduous holly, dahoon holly, privet, plane trees, and 
magnolias. These impenetrable thickets are common and 
often cover many square miles, like the so-called Big 
Thicket in the lower part of Hardin county, said to be 
from ten to fifteen miles wide either way. The growth 
of long-leaf pine which covers the gentle, wide swells 
is dense, of fine proportions, and of remarkably rapid 
development." ^ 

From one hundred and thirty to one hundred and sixty- 
five miles from the coast the long-leaf pine forests are 
succeeded by those of the short-leaf pine, which cover the 
northeastern part of the state, extending on the north 
beyond the Red river into Oklahoma and Arkansas, and 
on the east into Louisiana. 

The area occupied by the loblolly or swamp pine over- 
laps the areas of the short-leaf and the long-leaf pine. 
Within the last mentioned the loblolly is found scattered 
along the water courses, while in the first mentioned it 
occurs intermingled with other pine and deciduous growths. 

1 "The Timber Pines of the Southern United States," by Charles 
Mohr, Ph.D. United States Department of Agriculture, Division of 
Forestry, Bulletin No. 13, pp. 45, 46. Washington, 1896. 




Fig. 29. Swamp and Bayou Scene. Tupelo and Cypress Swamp, 

Beaumont 




Fig. 30. Palmetto and Oak Growth on the East Fork of San 
Jacinto River, Ten Miles East of New Caney, Montgomery 
County 

53 



54 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The best development of the species within the state, 
however, is to the west and south of the long-leaf area. 

That these mag- 
nificent forests will 
soon be numbered 
with the things 
of the past seems 
probable. Accord- 
ing to Dr. William 
L. Bray, the long- 
leaf pine of Texas 
is being cut at the 
rate of some three 
quarters of a bil- 
lion feet of lumber 
each year. At this 
rate he thinks it 
a reasonable esti- 
mate that the vir- 
gin pine may hold 
out twenty years 
longer. And he 
further calls at- 
tention to the fact 

Fig. 31. The Long-Leaf Pine Forest of the that with the pre- 
Louisiana-Texas Area vailing systems 

These trees furnish the most valuable lumber /? i • ,i 

oi logging the 
forest grounds are so stripped and exposed to fire that 
no future stand can be counted on.^ It would seem the 





1 






^ '*:'^>'^ !3 


m 










1 ' If 



1 See "Forest Resources of Texas," by William L. Bray. United 
States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Forestry, Bulletin No. 47, 
p. 23. Washington, 1904. 



VEGETATION 55 

part of prudence that the state should take some action 
concerning the restoration of its timbered areas before it 
is too hite. That the cultivation and growth of forest 
trees is both practical and remunerative has already been 
amply demonstrated, and under the conditions prevailing 
in this country the demand for good timber would be 
unlimited. 

51. The Post Oak Country and the Cross Timbers. On 
their Avestern border the pines give way to a post oak and 
black jack growth which, following the general course of 
the outcrop of Eocene strata towards the southwest, gradu- 
ally decreases and finally disappears not far from the 
Nueces river. Connected with the Post Oak country 
by a narrow strip extending up lied river are two nar- 
row southern prolongations of a similar growth, known 
respectively as the Eastern and Western Cross timbers. 
The former, as previously stated, marks the boundary 
between the Black and Grand prairies, while the latter 
skirts the western margin of the Grand prairie. Asso- 
ciated with the dominating species are various other trees, 
such as several forms of oak, the hickory, persimmon, and 
dogwood. 

52. The Forest Growth of the Edwards Plateau. The 
streams floAving in tlie canyon valleys of tlie Edwards 
plateau are often fringed with a forest growth which 
includes such trees as the pecan, live oak, sycamore, elm, 
walnut, and, strange to say, the cypress. The latter is of 
course far removed from its kindred in the eastern Texas 
swamps. 

As distinct from this growth of the valleys, mention 
should be made of that found on the hilly, dissected border 
of the plateau, the cedars and dwarf, scrubby oaks. Patches 



56 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



of stunted oaks, called " shinneries," are also found on the 
higher parts of the plateau. 

53. The Trans-Pecos Forest Growth. The forests of the 
Trans-Pecos region are confined to the high mountain 
slopes and canyons. Tiiey are of the Rocky mountain 




Fig. 32. Cedar Growth on Hill West of Shoal Creek, Austin 

type, and in the vicinity of the Great Bend of the Rio 
Grande are found above six thousand feet. While much 
of the timber is dAvarfed and gnarled, in the higher parts 
of the Guadalupe, Davis, and Chisos mountains there are 
pines, cedars, and other trees of large size. 




Fig. 33. Eocky Mountain Cedars and Oaks 
Camp scene, summit of Chisos Mountains, Brewster County 




Fig. 34. Cottonwood Timbeu, Saucito, Presidio County 
57 



58 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



54. Vegetation of the Coast Prairie. Although the vege- 
tation of the Coast prairie is largely in the form of grasses 
and rushes, — plants suited to low, swampy lands, — the 
live oak occurs here and there in scattered clumps, called 
" mottes," and in some abundance along the Brazos, Colo- 
rado, and other streams. * Beyond Corpus Christi the 
decrease in rainfall and other climatic conditions cause 
a change — the swamp growth is followed by the " grasses 




Fk;. 35. Live-()ak Mottk West of Austin 



of the plains," together with the more or less arid vegeta- 
tion of the Lower Rio Grande region. 

" The timber that is found in the Coast prairie region 
of East Texas, along the streams and in isolated groves, 
is mostly cottonwood, willow, elm, hackberry, sycamore, 
ash, water oak, pin oak, post oak, some red oak, and cedar, 
and, in the western part of the area, pecan and mesquite. 
Dense growths of vines, rattan, poison oak, and grape 
vine have often wrapped themselves about the trees, form- 
ing an impassable network. The spread of the mesquite 



VEGETATION 



59 



in this region is a noteworthy fact. When the country 
was first settled it was a rare tree in the valley of the 
lower Brazos, and was identified only with the western 
prairies. Since that time, however, it has spread to the 
east, and is now seen in considerable quantities about 
Sealy and other Brazos River towns." ^ 

55. Vegetation of the Rio Grande Plain. On the Rio 
Grande plain the vegetation of the Forested area gives 




Fig. 36. The Staked Plains 
The vegetation consists of yucca and grass 

way to that better suited to the arid and seniiarid condi- 
tions that prevail there. This is the " chaparral countiy," 
so named from a bushy, thorny growth in the form of 
thickets of acacias, mesquite, and many other plants. 
The soil, too dry and sterile for cultivation without irriga- 
tion, supports a growth of grass which renders the plain 

1 " Geology of the Gulf Territory of Texas," by R. A. F. Penrose, Jr. 
First Annual Report uf the Geolngkal Survey of Texas, p. 8. Austin, 1890. 



60 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

well adapted to stock raising. As in many other parts of 
the state, the cacti are interesting and numerous. 

56. Vegetation of the Prairie Plains and the Plateaus. 
The Prairie plains, which include the Black and Grand 
prairies and the Central basin, have long been noted for 
their grass (see Fig. 10). As already stated, they are not 
entirely treeless. In addition to live-oak mottes, their 
streams are often fringed with a forest growth, and they 
are divided by the Eastern and the Western Cross timbers. 
The encroachment of the mesquite upon the grass lands 
has been noticed in recent years. 

The higher plains of the Edwards plateau and the Llano 
Estacado also form a " grass country." Besides grasses of 
several kinds there is on the Staked plains a considerable 
growth of Bear grass and Spanish dagger (yucca). 

57. Life Zones. From the outline of plant distribution 
in the preceding sections it is clear that in Texas we have 
the focal or meeting point of a widely diversified plant 
growth. That this peculiar condition may be further 
emphasized, attention is now called to the so-called " Life 
Zones." 

Based upon the distribution of plants and animals, and 
with boundaries somewhat indefinite, North America has 
been divided into three great transcontinental regions, 
or belts, namely : 

1. Boreal, or Northern. 

2. Austral, or Southern. 

3. Tropical. 

Although the Boreal region is prolonged southward 
along the higher ranges of the Rocky mountains, it is not 
represented in Texas. 



VEGETATION 



61 



Of the Austral region the following zones are recognized : 

a. Transition, which enters the state in the region of the 
Guadalupe mountains and is characterized by a Rocky 
mountain vegetation, especially the pine forests. 

b. Upper Sonoran, which includes the Panhandle country 
north of the Canadian river and the Llano Estacado, with 
a vegetation characteristic of the Great plains at the base 



Transition 
Upper Sonoran 

Lower Sonoran 

Humid Division of 
Lower Sonoran 
Semi-Tropical 
or Gulf Strip 

Tropical 




TEXAS 

Skowing the Life Zones 



Fig. 37, Map of Texas showixg the Life Zoxes 



of the Rocky mountains. It is also represented in the 
Trans-Pecos "by a series of isolated mountain summits 
rising out of the Lower Sonoran zone " (Bray). 

c. Lower Sonoran, which includes the western part of the 
Central basin, the Edwards and Stockton plateaus, the Rio 
Pecos valley, and the Rio Grande valley and plain with 
the exception of a small area near the mouth of the river. 



62 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The plants of the Central basin have a close relationship 
with those of the prairies to the north, whereas the plants 
of the Rio Grande plain have a close relationship with 
those of the Tropical region to the south. 

d. Austroriparian or Humid Division of the Lower Sonoran 
embraces eastern Texas exclusive of the Coastal plain. 
Here are found the Forested area or the" southwestern 
extension of the Atlantic Timber belt, the Black and 
Grand prairies, the Cross Timbers, and, although tran- 
sitional in character, the eastern part of the Central basin. 

e. Semitropical or Gulf Strip, which, as a narrow belt 
beginning on the coast south of Corpus Christi, forms a 
border along the Gulf of Mexico passing into Louisiana. 
Its life and climate are transitional between the Austral 
and Tropical regions. 

The Tropical region invades Texas along the Lower 
Rio Grande, extending up the coast until it passes into 
the Gulf strip as already outlined. 

58. Characteristic Plants and Animals. While vegetation 
may well characterize the '' life zones," there are also forms 
of animal life which may be equally valuable in affording 
distinctive characters. This is not unexpected, inasmuch 
as animals always frequent those regions which furnish 
tlie necessary food supplies. In this manner certain forms 
of plant life and certain forms of animal life are often 
associated. It must be noted, however, in this connection 
that the range of some animals, as the migratory birds and 
some insects for example, is so great that they are common 
to several zones, and therefore cannot be regarded as in any 
sense characteristic, and the same is true of plants, but in 
a lesser degree. 



CHAPTER VII 
FAUNA 

59. The Animal Life of Texas. From our knowledge of 
the topography, climate, and vegetation of the state, the 
cliief elements of control in the distribution of animal life, 
we may readily conceive that the fauna of this region, 
before the advent of the Anglo-American civilization (see 
Chapter XI) must have been exceedmgly rich and varied. 
And such it was. Vast herds of buffalo roamed over 
the prairies, deer, bears, turkeys, quail, and other game 
abounded, not to mention opossums, raccoons, rabbits, wild 
cats, wolves, foxes, squirrels, and a host of less important 
forms. Now in the more thickly settled areas the larger 
animals have completely disappeared, and even in the 
wilder and less accessible parts they are fast approaching 
extinction. In the struggle for existence the invertebrate ^ 
alone seems able to cope with man. Insects, especially, 
prey upon the plants of his field and multiply with alarm- 
ing rapidity. In one instance at least — the invasion of 
the cotton-producing districts of the state by the Mexican 
boll weevil — they have inflicted almost incalculable damage 
upon the most important crop grown. 

It is not to be expected that the same animals will 
be of equal abundance in all parts of the state, for their 

1 The animal kingdom consists of two well-defined groups, — animals 
with backbones, called vertebrates, and animals without backbones, 
called invertebrates. 

G3 



64 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

distribution will in a greater or less degree be influenced 
by the elements of control already mentioned. On the Rio 
Grande there is a fauna in which Mexican species occur. 
" The presence of the jaguar, ocelot, and other tropical 
cats, the armadillo, and a considerable number of tropical 
birds in southeastern Texas [southern or southwest Texas] 
is the direct result of the continuous extension of the 
Tamaulipan arid fauna from Mexico into Texas." ^ 

There are also many animals in the state common to it 

and the country to the north and east. Thus the prairie dog 

ranges from '' western Texas and Kansas to 

the base of the Rocky mountains and north 

to Montana"; the raccoon ''from the eastern 

United States to the Rocky mountains " ; 

the badger " from western North America 

east to Wisconsin and Texas"; while the 

original range of the bison or buffalo was 

Fig. 38. Mexican from the Northwest Territory of the British 

Boll Weevil possessions to Mexico, and from the Rocky 

Adult, much mag. mountains to the head waters of the Ohio.2 

mned 

Again, there are animals in the north and 
east which are represented in the west and southwest by 
closely allied varieties, as the black bear, the coyote or 
prairie wolf, the foxes, the jack rabbits, and the Virginia 
deer. Some of these varieties are characteristic of Texas, 
and in a few instances they have been dignified with the 
rank of species, as, for example, the Texas opossum and 
the Texan or fan-tailed deer. 

1 Merriam, "Life Zones and Crop Zones of the United States." 
United States Department of Agriculture, Division of Biological Sur- 
vey, Bulletin No. 10, p. 52, Washington, 1898. 

2 See "American Animals," by Stone and Cram. New York : Double- 
day, Page &Co., 1902. 




FAUNA 



65 



60. Mammals. The class of mammals includes the high- 
est forms of vertebrates or backboned animals. Its mem- 
bers are characterized by the presence of mammary glands, 




Fig. 39, Nine-Banded Armadillo 



which supply nourishment to the young, by the high tem- 
perature of the blood, and by breathing organs in the form 




Fig. 40. Texas Peccary or Wild Hog 

of lungs. As representatives of this class in Texas the 
following animals may be mentioned: 

1. The Texas Opossum: widely distributed. 

2. The Nine-Banded Armadillo : entering Texas from Mexico ; occa- 

sionally found as far to the north and east as Austin. 



66 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



3. The Texas Peccary: formerly ranging from southwestern Arkan- 

sas through Texas. This hoglike animal is now found in the 
southwestern part of the state. 

4. The Texan or Fan-Tailed Deer: found in southwest Texas. This 

small deer is an allied species of the Virginia deer. 

5. The American Bison or Buffalo: practically extinct as a wild 

animal in Texas since 1880. A herd is maintained on the Good- 
night ranch, near Goodnight, Armstrong county, and repre- 
sentatives may be seen at Brackenridge Park, San Antonio. 




Fig. 41. American Bison or Buffalo 



6. The Rabbit: several species. The long-ear or jack rabbit frequents 

the open or prairie regions of the state, while the cottontail 
seeks the more sheltered or forest-covered areas. 

7. The Prairie Dog : " Dog towns " are common on the western plains. 

8. The Squirrel: several species. The "fox squirrel" is one of the 

best known. It frequents pecan groves in abundance. 

9. The Bat: many species; common in caves. Bat caves are found 

in Burnet, Williamson, Lampasas, Gillespie, and several other 
counties of the state. 



FAUNA 67 

10. The Skunk: rather common. 

11. The Raccoon : somewhat common in timber, becoming rarer as the 

larger growth diminishes westward. 

12. The Civet Cat or Texas Bassaris: probably a visitor from Mexico. 

13. The Bear or Black Bear: formerly common in the eastern forested 

portion of the state. Now driven in retreat to more inaccessi- 
ble places in the canebrakes and river valleys and farther west. 

14. The Coyote or Prairie Wolf: a widely distribirted animal or a 

series of allied varieties ranging over the western plains of 
the United States. 

15. The Mexican Jaguar: a large catlike animal found in southern 

Texas, which, like the civet cat, has probably invaded the 
state from Mexico. 

61. Birds. Greater interest has probably been accorded 
to the class of birds than to any other of the animal king- 
dom. There are, indeed, few people who are not attracted 
by the song, flight, color, or nesting of birds. Like other 
Gulf states, Texas is favored with an interesting bird fauna 
which ranges from the marine forms of the coast to those 
frequenting the great plains or the Llano Estacado. Much 
of this life is of a migratory character, yet we know the 
visitors so well that, overlooking their periods of absence, 
we come to regard them as characteristic of the state. 

In the following list are included most of the common 
species, but in one or two instances forms are mentioned 
which have been nearly exterminated by the murderous 
assaults of the plume hunters. 

1 . The Mocking Bird : the Texas song bird ; widely distributed. " He 
sings all day, and often — if we would believe his audiences — 
he sings down the chimney all night, and when camped in 
mockerland in the full of the moon you can almost credit the 
contention " (Florence Merriam Bailey).^ 

1 Handbook of Birds of the Western United States, p. 436. Boston and 
New York: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1902. 



68 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The Cardinal or Redhird : " a bird of striking appearance and bril- 
liant vocal powers, resident and abundant from the Middle 
States southward ; inhabits 
thickets, tangle, and under- 
growth of all kinds, whence 
issue its rich rolling whis- 
tling notes, while the per- 
former, brightly clad as he 





Fig. 42. Mocking Bird 



Fig. 43. Cardinal or Redbird 



is, often eludes observation by his shyness, vigilance, and 
activity " (Elliott Coues).! 

A gray-tailed variety occurs in the vicinity of Corpus Christi. 
3. The Lark Sparrow or Lark Finch : a common Texas bird of 
wide distribution. Head marked with chestnut brown, black, 
and white. Upper parts grayish brown, with black stripes 
on the back. Under parts grayish brown. A black spot on 
the breast. Tail tipped with white. 





Fig. 44. Lark Sparrow or 
Lark Finch 



Fig. 45. Scissor-Tailed 
Flycatcher 



4. The Cowhird, Cow Blackbird, Buffalo Bird: This blackbird is 
found over most of the United States, migrating to the South 

1 Key to North American Birds, fifth edition, p. 455. Boston : Dana 
Estes & Co., 1903. 



FAUNA 69 

in winter. It receives the name of cowbird from its habit of 
perching on cattle in order, it is said, to search for parasites. 

5. The Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher or Texan Bird of Paradise: notable on 

account of its long tail feathers, which are especially displayed 
in flight, opening and closing like a pair of scissors blades. 
Common in the prairie and lightly wooded districts. 

6. The Golden-Fronted Woodpecker: abounds in central and southern 

Texas. Common at San Antonio and along the foot of the 
plains. According to Dr. Sennett it is as bold and noisy as 
the red-headed w^oodpecker of the North. 

7. The Texas Woodpecker, Ladder-Backed Woodpecker, or Speckle- 

Check Woodpecker : found in the region of the Rio Grande 
and in the valleys and mountains of Trans-Pecos Texas. In 
habits it is very similar to the downy woodpecker. Frequents 
chaparral and mesquite growths. 

8. 2^he Road-Runner, Chaparral Cock, Snake-Killer, Paisano, or Ground 

Cuckoo : " a bird of remarkable aspect, noted for its swiftness 
of foot ; aided by its wings held as outriggers, it taxes the 
horse in a race ; feeds on fruits, reptiles, insects, land mollusks, 
sometimes small mammals and birds " (Coues).^ 
Common from Austin to the Rio Grande. 

9. The Texas Screech Owl : a small gray or red forrn found in south- 

ern and western Texas. 

10. The Audubon Caracara, sometimes called the Mexican Buzzard: 

widely distributed along the southern border of the United 
States from Florida to Lower California. This large bird is 
of striking appearance, having a dark blackish body with a 
white collar barred with black on its low^er side. Like the 
turkey vulture, it congregates in considerable numbers about 
carrion. 

11. The Mississippi Kite: adult bird of a dark ashy gray color, head 

lighter, tail and wings black, the latter crossed by a grayish 
band. Frequents the southern states as far west as western 
Texas. 

*' This sturdy little kite, with its quick flight and graceful 
form and motions, has much the appearance of a falcon, but 
its w^eak bill and talons give it an unfalcon-like character and 

1 Key to North American Birds, p. 606. 



70 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



12. 



13. 



mode of life. Its prey, instead of being birds and mammals, 
is mainly of such low order as insects, snakes, and frogs, and 
its hunting consequently lacks the excitement of the chase. 
It is seen flying low over the prairies among the brush patches, 
or going from tree to tree along the streams " (Vernon 
Bailey).! 

The Turkey Vulture or Turkey Buzzard: one of the best known 
birds of the South and West ; a natural scavenger or carrion 
feeder. Common in Texas. 

The Mourning Dove, Turtle Dove, or Carolina Dove: widely dis- 
tributed and readily recognized by its cooing. In the more 
arid parts it seeks the water holes and streams in the morning 





Fig. 40. Texas \yoi\ Wiiitk 



Fig. 47. Killdkek 



14. 



15. 



and evening. Usually feeds upon the ground, taking flight 
to trees when disturbed. 

The Texas Bob White or Texas Quail: recognized by its whistle. 
A variety of the Virginia quail, but paler in color, the " pre- 
vailing shade rather gray than brown." Frequents thickets 
and undergrowth, Texas to Kansas. 

The Killdccr, Kildeer Plover, or Kildee: widely distributed. " A 
very noisy bird — the curious name is derived from its shrill 
two-syllabled whistle, like kil-deer! kil-deer! and maybe spelled 
in four ways on good authority — killdeer, kildeer, kildur, kil- 
dee " (Coues).- 



1 Handbook of Birds of the Western United States, by Florence Mer- 
riam Bailey, p. 150. 

2 Key to North American Birds, p. 775. 



FAUNA 71 

16. The Plover: several species. This is considered one of the Texas 

game birds. The golden plover is found early in the spring, 
when it sojourns for a time and then resumes its northward 
flight. The Wilson plover frequents the Coastal region, and 
the mountain plover is found in the region of the Staked 
plains. 

17. The Snipe, Common Snipe, or Wilson Snipe: another game bird. 

The southward migration of this species reaches Texas about 
October and continues for some weeks. Found about springs 
and on the coast. 

18. The Snoivy Heron, Little White Egret, or ^^ Bonnet Martyr": one 

of the plume birds, very rare on the Gulf coast. Formerly 
abundant at Corpus Christi. Found also in the salt marshes 
near the mouth of the Rio Grande, and occasionally at Gal- 
veston and other coastal points. Nearly exterminated by the 
millinery bird hunters for the sake of its plumes. 

19. The American Coot, Mud Hen, Croiv Duck, Blue Peter: a slate- 

gray bird, becoming olive on the back ; head and neck darker ; 
toes scalloped on their edges. Ranges over the whole of North 
America. Common at Corpus Christi, Galveston, and else- 
where on the coast. 

20. T'he Canada Goose, Wild Goose, Brant: distributed like the pre- 

ceding over all of North America. Found on the Gulf coast 
during the winter migration. The hoarse honking of the wild 
geese as they fly southward just preceding the winter cold is 
especially noticeable at night. 

21. The Teal: two species, the green-winged and the blue-winged. 

These ducks are rather common, and at the proper season are 
offered for sale at the markets. 

22. The Mallard: "the best known of all the American ducks." Like 

the domestic duck in general appearance. The male has a 
glossy green head (for which reason it is sometimes called the 
" Green-head " ) followed by a white ring. A game bird of 
the state at the proper season. 

23. The Pelican: two species, the American white and the brown 

pelican. These birds are at once recognized by the pouch 
beneath the lower mandible, that of the brown species being 
the laruer. 



72 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

24. The Ring-Billed Gull, Common American Gull: distributed over 
all of North America, coastwise and inland; migrates to the 
South for winter. Common at Corpus Christi and Galveston 
during March and April. In its general appearance this bird 
is white, with a pale gray mantle covering its back and wings. 

62. Reptiles and Amphibians. The animals representing 
these classes are, in general, readily recognized. To the 




Fig. 48. Ring-Bili li> (.in 



reptiles belong the crocodilians, turtles, lizards, and snakes ; 
to the amphibians, the salamanders, frogs, toads, and other 
less common forms. 

The following are some of the more important reptiles 
of the state. 

Crocodilian 

1. The Alligator: found along the coastal region; especially abundant 
in the Nueces river. 

Turtles 

1. The Painted Box Tortoise: common in central Texas; frequents 

the grassy flats from Waco to McGregor (Strecker). 

2. The Snapping Turtle : common in creeks and rivers. 

3. The Louisiana Mud Turtle : found in marshes and water holes. 

4. The Soft-Shell Turtle: common in creeks. 

Lizards 

1. The Carolina Anolis or Green Lizard: widely distributed from the 
Rio Grande to Florida ; rare in McLennan county (Strecker). 



FAUNA 



73 



2. The Texan Rock Lizard: "the characteristically abundant form of 

western Texas. I found it in the first plateau country to the 
heads of the Medina and Upper Llano. ... It runs with great 
rapidity, with its tail generally curved upward, displaying the 
black spots on the lower side. It prefers rocky ground and 
does not ascend trees under ordinary circumstances" (Cope).^ 

3. The Tree Swift or Scaly Lizard : 

greenish yellow above, " with a 
series of dark transverse dorsal 
bands." Western and south- 
western Texas. Found in wooded 
regions. 

4. The Fence Lizard: "This lizard is 

found all over Texas and is very 
variable in its characters. . . . 
The colors are often brilliant, 
especially in specimens from near 
San Antonio, where the side of 
the neck and head are often of a 
bright rufous and the tail reddish 
and yellowish brown at the base. 
It is very abundant from Dallas 
west to Fort Concho, and south- 
west to San Antonio, and in 
the first plateau region to the 
head of the Medina river. It 
is found on the ground, but 
always takes refuge in trees, run- 
ning on and around the limbs 
with great agility" (Cope).^ 

5. The Homed Lizard, Horned Toad, or Horned Frog: one of the 

most common of the Texas lizards. Ranges from the Gulf 
as far north as central Kansas and Colorado. Closely allied 
species occur in California, Arizona, Utah, the Upper Missouri 
region, and Mexico. 

1 "The Crocodilians, Lizards, and Snakes of North America." Eeport 
of the United States National Museum, 1898, p. 289. 
2Loc. cit., pp. 379-380. 




Fig. 49. Horned Lizard, com- 
monly CALLED Horned Frog 
OR Toad 

From Baird 



74 THE GEOGIiAPIIY OF TEXAS 

6. The Six-Lined Lizard: '< dark brown above, marked with six yellow 
longitudinal lines, all but two of which disappear on reaching 
the tail. . . . Below, the scales are smooth and of a silvery-blue 
color." 

Reported from many and widely separated localities in the 
state : Rio Pecos, Laredo, Galveston, New Braunfels, Fort Davis, 
McLennan county. Cook county. 

Snakes 

1. The Spreading Adder, Viper, or Hog-Nosed Snake: "Body short 

and stout. Tail very short, and rapidly tapering, rather thicker 
than the thinnest part of the body. . . . 

" Color reddish brown above, with dark blotches. . . . The 
blotches anteriorly are nearly square, posteriorly they are 
transversely elongated. . . . 

" This species is subject to great variations of color. Some- 
times the sides of the dorsal blotches pass insensibly into the 
ground color, so as to become transverse bands. At others they 
are light internally, with a narrow margin of black" (Cope).^ 

Widely distributed from the Red river to the Gulf. 

2. The Racer or Black Snake : receives the name of Black Snake from 

the lustrous pitch-black color of the upper side of the body, 
which becomes slaty to greenish white beneath. Some of the 
Texas specimens are bright yellow beneath, and of an olive 
green above. Both forms are reported from McLennan county. 

3. The Coach-whip: body long and slender, black or brownish above, 

gradually fading towards the tail. Common. 

4. The Pilot Snake: of an ash-gray color marked with a series of 

forty-two to forty-seven dark chocolate-brown blotches. Found 
in the timbered region of eastern Texas. One of the commonest 
snakes in the timbered portions of McLennan county (Strecker), 

5. The Bull Snake : body yellowish brown marked " with three series 

of dorsal black blotches, forty-five to sixty-five in number," 
counting from the head to the beginning of the tail, and with 
twelve on the tail. A widely distributed species in the state. 

6. Say's King Snake: " The scales on the back and sides are lustrous 

black, each one with a . . . spot of ivory white, which on the 

1 Loc. cit., p. 763. 



FAUNA 



75 



sides occupy nearly the whole of the scale, but are smaller 
towards the back. . . . Beneath yellowish white, with broad 
distinct blotches of black, more numerous posteriorly " (Cope).i 
Common in central and southern Texas. 

7. The Diamond Water Snake: the ground color above, brown, which 

by a combination of dots and transverse black bands is blocked 
off in "a series of transverse diamond-shaped or hexagonal 
spaces." Yellow below. A com- 
mon species in Texas. Found 
along creeks. 

8. Say's Garter Snake : a slender sn ake, 

" deep brown to black above and 
on the sides ; beneath greenish 
white." Dorsal stripe ocher 
yellow ; lateral stripe greenish 
white or yellow. It ranges from 
Dallas or farther east to the Rio 
Grande and beyond in Mexico. "^ 

THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF TEXAS" 

1. The Harlequin Snake, also known 

as the Coral AS'//a^'eandthe Candy- 
stick Snake : a highly colored 
form, usually easily recognized by 
its general appearance, which is 
that " of a succession of red and 
black rings." Common in the ^^'^'' '^^^ 
Coastal region. Reported from 
the Rio Grande and.Rio Pecos val- 
leys and from McLennan county. 

2. The Copperhead or Dry Land Moccasin: head dark and bronze 

colored. General color light chestnut. The inverted Y-shaped 

^Loc. cit., p. 912. 

2 Cope. Loc. cit., pp. 1022-1023. 

3 The list here given is, with a single omission, that compiled by 
Mr. J. D. Mitchell of Victoria, Texas. See "The Poisonous Snakes of 
Texas, with Notes on their Habits." Transactions of the Texas Academy 
of Science, Vol. V., pp. 21 et seq. Austin, 1903. 




Harlequin or Coral 
Snake 

From Baird 



76 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



darker blotches on the sides furnish further means for identi- 
fication. 

It frequents the timber bordering rivers and creeks. 
The Cottonmouth, Water Moccasin, or Stump-Tail Moccasin: young 
individuals of a somewhat dull chestnut brown above, marked 
by twenty or thirty purplish-black transverse zigzag bands, 
two of which, on the same side, may unite above inclosing a 
space darker than the ground color. The underside of the body 
is black, with yellowish-white blotches. Upper side of the 




Fig. 51. Cottonmouth or 
Water Moccasin 

From Baii'd 



Fig. 52. Edwards' Massasauga 
From Baird 



head purplish black. In old individuals the color is faded and 
" the general appearance is dark, rough, and rusty." 

It ranges all over the state where there is sufficient moisture. 

Edwards' Massasauga: yellowish brown; "about forty-two dorsal 
brown and irregular blotches, margined with deep black and 
encircled with a yellow fillet . . ." ; sides marked with small 
chestnut-brown blotches arranged in two series. Said to range 
throughout Texas, but apparently is not very common. 

The Ground Rattlesnake : "ground color dark grayish ash, minutely 
mottled. A series of thirty-eight to forty-five subcircular 



FAUNA 



77 



dorsal blotches extending from head to tail, dark brown, each 
with a narrow distinct yellowish border. Interval rather 
narrower than the spots themselves. A broad band of pur- 
plish red passes from head to tail through the blotches." ^ 

Common in all parts of the state. 
0. The Diamond Rattlesnake: "general color yellowish gray, with 
rhomboidal black 
blotches, lighter in the 
center, and with the 
angles perfect." - 

Found in the tim- 
bered river bottoms of 
the coast country. 

7. The Texas Rattlesnake : 

"ground color above 
dull yellowish brown, 
with a series of subhex- 
agonal patches from 
the head nearly to the 
tail, in an uninter- 
rupted series separated 
throughout by narrow 
lines. "^ 

Found in western 
Texas and the coast 
country as far east as 
Matagorda county. 

8. The Banded Rattlesnake: 

color above from taw ny 
yellow to dark brown; beneath, whitish yellow to dark gray. 
It receives its name from "a dorsal series of more or less 
irregular and imperfect transverse bands " or blotches. 

Frequents the timber. Found in widely separated localities 
where proper conditions prevail. 

1 See "The Poisonous Snakes of North America," by Leonhard Stejne- 
ger. Report of the United States National Museiun for the Year ending 
June 30, 1893, p. 419. Washington, 1895. 

2Loc. cit., p. 434. 3Loc. cit., p. 437. 




Fig. 



53. Texas Rattlesnake 
From Baird 



78 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

9. The Dog-Faced Rattlesnake: "general color above that of roll 
sulphur; beneath pale yellowish. Posteriorly, very faintly 
clouded with brownish. Tail black. . . . Along the back is 
a series of transverse reddish or chestnut-brown lozenges. . . . 
These lozenges are frames with the outlines generally one 
scale in width, and wdth the centers of the ground color ; 
sometimes divided by a median line of brow^n so as to show 
two yellowish spots inside of lozenges." ^ 
Reported from the Rio Pecos region. 

10. The Prairie Rattlesnake : a yellowish-brown snake marked with 

a series of dark subquadrate blotches, having their corners 
rounded and anterior and posterior sides frequently concave."^ 
Reported from northwest Texas. 

11. The Green Rattlesnake: greenish gray above; body marked by 

nineteen black rings which are not joined on the underside. 
Found in the valley of the Rio Grande. 

Among the amphibians of the state may be mentioned 
several species of toads, of which the American toad is a 
common form, several species of tree frogs, the leopard 
frog, and the bullfrog. 

63. Fishes. The class of fishes includes aquatic gill- 
breathers having the body protected by scales, bony 
plates, or a leathery integument, and limbs in the form 
of fins. 

" With regard to its fresh-water fishes, Texas is chiefly 
remarkable for the abundance of species in its lowland 
streams. A large proportion of its species are confined 
chiefly or almost wholly to the streams of the narrow strip 
known as the Coast plain region. The lower portion of 
the larger streams crossing this teem with many species of 
valued food fishes, such as the channel cat, chuckle-headed 
cat, mud cat, buffalo, large-mouthed black bass (the ' trout ' 

iLoc. cit., p. 425. 2Loc. cit., p. 442. 



FAUNA 



79 



of the South), various species of sunfishes, and the fresh- 
water drum." ^ 



/Sir 




Fig. 54. Chaxnel or Eel C.v: 




Fig. 55. Yellow or Mud Cat 




Fig. 50. Large-Mouthed Black Bass 



While an enumeration of all the fishes well known in 
Texas is not attempted, the most noticeable or important 

1 Evermann and Kendall, " The Fishes of Texas and the Rio Grande 
Basin." Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission for 1S9-2, p. 95. 



80 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

from an economic standpoint are the following : the shovel- 
nosed shark, the sawfish, the sting and other rays, sev- 
eral species of garfish, catfish, including the forms above 




Fig. 57. Red Snapper 



mentioned and many others, a variety of suckers, many 
species of minnows, herrings, sunfish, darters, the sea bass, 




Fig. 58. Southern Flounder 

the red snapper, croakers and flounders, as well as some 
fish of unusual shapes, such as the angel fish or moonfish, 
the toadfish and the trunkfish. It will be noted that many 
of the fishes above given are salt-water species. 

Fishing on the coast of Texas is an important industry. For the 
year ending August ol, 1912, 3,612,2(J7pounds were taken, consisting 



FAUNA 81 

of Red Snapper, Sheepshead, Spanish Mackerel, Catfish, and other 
varieties. The larger part of this catch was prepared for market 
and shipment at Galveston. 

64. Invertebrates. Concerning the invertebrates much 
might be said. Arthropods, animals having jointed append- 
ages, abound. This branch of the animal kingdom is repre- 
sented by crustaceans, insects, spiders, and myriapods. To 
the crustaceans belong such animals as crayfish, crabs, and 
shrimps ; to the insects, bees, ants, wasps, butterflies, moths, 
beetles, flies, gnats, mosquitoes, snake doctors, etc. Of the 
noxious insects of the state the boll weevil is probably best 
known. The most striking example among the spiders is 
the tarantula, and among the myriapods, the centipede. 

By many persons the shrimp is highly esteemed as a delicacy, and 
thousands of pounds of this little crustacean are annually shipped 
from the coast to interior points. 

The branch of moUusks is represented in the state by 
over five hundred species. Here are included the snails, 
or gastropods, the bivalves, or pelecypods (shellfish such 
as the oyster, clam, etc.), and other forms of interest to 
the zoologist. 

The moUusks, as to their habits and distribution, may 
be divided into terrestrial, fresh-water, and marine species. 
The last includes by far the greater number. A consider- 
ation of lower forms of the invertebrates is omitted, as the 
subject is too intricate for a book of this character. 

The cultivation of the oyster is an important industry on the Gulf 
coast. While the product of the beds in the vicinity of Corpus 
Christi is well known for the general excellence of its flavor, the 
largest shipments of this bivalve are made from Port Lavaca in 
Calhoun county. 



CHAPTER VIII 
INDUSTRIES 

65. Agriculture. Notwithstanding the arid condition of 
the plateau country and the desert character of much of 
the Trans-Pecos region, Texas is a leading state in agri- 
culture and is destined soon to occupy the foremost place. 
The fertility of its prairie and alluvial soils is unexcelled, 
and its wide range of climatic conditions — temperature 
and rainfall — favors a tropical and semitropical growth in 
the south and a growth of the temperate regions in the 
north. Thus within the domain of this great " empire " 
cotton and corn, wheat, oats, and rice, sugar cane and 
tobacco, vegetables and fruits can be successfully grown, 
not to mention other plants useful for forage. 

66. Cotton. Texas produces more cotton than any other 
state in the Union. For the season of 1912-1913 it 
amounted to 4,509,335 bales of 500 pounds each, the 
largest crop made in the state up to that time (1913). 
In the table on page 84 the entire cotton crop of the 
United States for the season of 1911-1912 is shown. It 
will there be seen that Texas leads the next following 
state, Georgia, by nearly a million and a half bales. The 
Map of the Texas Cotton Area (Fig. 60) includes all 
the counties which produced over 10,000 bales during 
the year 1911-1912. 

In addition to the fiber, which is manufactured into 
cloth and batting, the seeds of the cotton plant yield a 

83 



84 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

valuable oil which is widely used for a variety of purposes 
and even as a substitute for olive oil. In the state there 
are over one hundred and fifty cotton-seed-oil mills, one of 
the largest in the world being located at Sherman. Cotton- 
seed hulls, and the ground cake called " meal," from which 
the oil has been expressed, are valuable for stock feeding. 

The Cotton Crop of the United States in Bales of 500 Pounds 
FOR the Season of 1011-1012 



1. Texas 


. . . . 4.256,427 bales 


2. Georgia 


. . . . 2,768,627 bales 


3. Alabama 


. . . . 1,716,534 bales 


4. South Carolina .... 


. . . . 1.648,712 bales 


5. Mississippi 


. . . . 1,203,545 bales 


6. North Carolina .... 


. . . . 1,075,826 bales 


7. Oklahoma 


.... 1,022,092 bales 


8. Arkansas 


. . . . 939,302 bales 


9. Tennessee 


.... 449,737 bales 


10. Louisiana 


. . . . 384,597 bales 


11 Missouri 


. . . . 96,808 bales 


12. Florida 


.... 83,388 bales 


13. Virginia 


. . . . 29,891 bales 


14. All other states .... 


.... 17,215 bales 



On authority of Bureau of the Census, Cotton Production, 1911, Bulletin No. 114 

67. Cereals. The leading cereals of the state are, in the 
order of their importance, corn, wheat, oats, and rice. 
Barley and rye are raised in small amounts. 

The corn crop for 1912 reached 153,300,000 bushels, 
having a value of over ninety-eight million dollars.^ The 
leading corn-producing counties ^ are Collin, Fannin, Gray- 
son, Lamar, Milam, Hunt, Red River, Navarro, McLennan, 
Falls, Wilbarger, and Bell. 

1 Croip Reporter (Supplement) published by authority of the Secretary 
of Agriculture, Vol. 14, No. 12, p. 98. Washington, D.C., December, 1912. 

2 Based on the Bulletin of the Thirteenth Census. 



INDUSTRIES 



85 



The wheat crop for 1912 amounted to 11,025,000 bush- 
els, vahied at over ten milHon two hundred thousand 
dollars.^ The leadmg wheat-producing counties ^ are Den- 
ton, Wilbarger, Wichita, Collin, Cooke, Knox, and Grayson. 




The oat crop for 1912 reached 31,140,000 bushels, valued 
at over thirteen million three hundred thousand dollars.^ The 
leading oat-producing counties ^ are Grayson, Collin, Bell, 
McLennan, Fannin, Hunt, Wilbarger, Cooke, and Coryell. 

1 Crop Reporter (Supplement) published by authority of the Secretary 
of Aoriculture, Vol. 14. No. 12, p. 103. Washington, D.C., December, 1912. 

2 Based on the Bulletin of the Thirteenth Census. 



86 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The " rice belt " of the state borders the Gulf, extend- 
ing from the Sabine river to the Rio Grande. As the 
crop is raised mainly by irrigation, this belt has rapidly 
spread inland until it has now reached Chappel Hill on 
the Brazos, Columbus on the Colorado, and Cuero on the 
Guadalupe. 

A few years ago two general rice-producing sections 
were recognized in Texas, the Beaumont and the Colorado 








Fig. 61. A Texas Cotton Field 



river valley sections.^ These two sections are now prac- 
tically blended and are further increased by the rice- 
producing counties along the Guadalupe river. This 
enlarged section extends along the coast from the Louisiana 
line to the Guadalupe river, embracing the following coun- 
ties : Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Liberty, Galveston, 
Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Waller, Matagorda, Wharton, 
Colorado, Austin, Jackson, Calhoun, Victoria, and Dewitt. 

1 " Kice Irrigation in Texas," Bulletin of The University of Texas, 
No. 16, 1902, p. 13. 



INDUSTRIES 



87 



A second, or Kio Grande, section includes the irrigated 
rice farms of Cameron county. 

For the year 1912 the rice acreage of the state has 
been estimated at 265,600 acres and the rice crop at 
9,429,000 bushels, valued at S8,863,000.i 




Fig. G2. Map of Texas showing the Rice Belt and the 
East Texas Fruit Region 



68. Fruit and Vegetables. Fruit raising has become in 
recent years an important industry. The soils of East 
Texas are especially adapted to the growth of fine peaches, 
and one variet}^ the Elberta, has won an excellent reputa- 
tion not only at home but in the northern markets. In 

1 Crop Reporter (Supplement), Vol. U, No. 12, p. 103. 



88 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

southern Texas strawberries and similar fruits ripen early, 
and their successive appearance follows in a procession 
across the state. Within the limits of sufficient rainfall, 
especially in the eastern and southern parts of the state, 
and beyond, where irrigated, vegetables grow in the 
greatest profusion. In fact, the raising of small fruits 
and vegetables is an industry capable of almost infinite 
expansion. 

Watermelons are shipped in large quantities from San 
Patricio, Waller, Bee, and Dewitt counties in southern 
Texas, and from Smith county in eastern Texas. Galveston 
and Brazoria counties lead in the production of straw- 
berries, followed by Smith county. The principal points 
of shipment of East Texas peaches are Tyler, Swan, and 
Lindale in Smith county, and Jacksonville in Cherokee 
county. Nueces and Bee counties lead in the production 
of vegetables, which are successfully grown in the coast 
country, for the distance of a hundred miles inland, and 
also in eastern Texas. While tomatoes are raised in the 
greatest abundance in the latter region, especially in Smith, 
Cherokee, and Nacogdoches counties, they are also exten- 
sively grown in the Coastal belt and in many other localities 
under irrigation. 

Within the last few years attention has been directed to 
the cultivation of the Irish potato, and with such success 
that the crop for 1912 reached 3,276,000 bushels, valued 
at $3,4-10,000. At Laredo, Cotulla, and other points 
excellent onion crops have been secured. 

69. Nuts. An important nut crop is furnished by the 
pecan trees which fringe the streams in the central and 
south central parts of the state, especially in San Saba, 
Brown, Lampasas, Coleman, Colorado, and Bexar counties. 




Fig. 63. Japanese Rice Farjiers near Port Lavaca, 
Calhoun County 




Fig. (34. Rice Threshing at Raywood, Liberty County, 
ON the Texas and New Orleans Railroad (Southern 
Pacific) 



90 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Nuts of a good quality are always in deniaud aud meet 
with a ready sale. It would seem that the cultivation of 
this tree would be profitable, as there are many parts of the 
state where it could be successfully grown. 

70. Other Agricultural Products. The production of hay 
and forage crops is an industry of much importance. They 
include prairie grasses, millet, alfalfa, and certain of the 
grains and cane sown for forage and cut green. The 
hay crop for 1912 was valued at over five million six 
hundred thousand dollars. 

In acreage of sorghum cane Texas ranks third. 

The growth of sugar cane is confined to the southern 
portion of the state, and the production of sugar is an 
industry not yet fully developed. The farms are chiefly 
in Fort Bend, Wharton, Matagorda, Colorado, Brazoria, 
and Cameron counties. 

The state has a plantation of 8210 acres in the sugar 
district of Wharton county, upon which convict labor is 
employed. A large and costly sugar mill has been erected 
there. One of the largest mills and refineries in the South 
is situated at Sugarland, Fort Bend county, twenty-four 
miles southwest of Houston. 

Among the miscellaneous agricultural products may be 
mentioned broom corn, tobacco, and peanuts. The cul- 
tivation of tobacco is an industry of some promise. The 
crop for 1912 was valued at over twenty-four thousand 
dollars. 

71. Stock Raising. On account of the diminished rain- 
fall the western half of the state is unsuited to agriculture. 
In this region, which includes a large paTt of the Central 
basin, the Llano Estacado, the Edwards and Stockton 
plateaus, and the Rio Grande plain, stock raising is 




Pi(.. 05. Texas Cowboys 




Fig. 60. Cattli: at a AVatek Tank on tuk Plains 
91 



92 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



the chief industry. Great herds of cattle, not to men- 
tion numberless sheep and horses, here find a growth of 
nutritious grasses which affords them an excellent support. 

Table showing the Number of Neat Cattle in Texas, the Leading 
States, and the United States, January 1, 1912 



1. Texas 6,211,000 

2. Iowa 4,166,000 

3. Wisconsin 2,650,000 

4. Nebraska 2,615,000 

5. Kansas 2,570,000 

6. New York 2,389,000 

7. Missouri 2,326,000 

8. Illinois 2,315,000 

9. Minnesota 2,258,000 

10. California 2,020,000 

United States 57,959,000 



Compiled from Year Book of the Department of Agriculture, 1911 

This is the land of the cowboy and of large ranches. In the 
number of beef cattle Texas ranks first of all the states. 




Fig. 67. A West Texas Ranch IIoisk (- — N — Ranch") 
Bar N Bar Ranch, named from its cattle brand 



INDUSTRIES 



93 



On January 1, 1913, the number of horses in Texas was 
1,181,000, vahiecl at S96,812,000 ; the number of mules, 
724,000, valued at 879,640,000; the number of milch 




Fig. 68. A Pecos County Iv \n(u House, Santa Lucia 

COWS, 1,034,000, valued at $41,257,000; and 5,022,000 
of other cattle, valued at 8113,497,000. In addition to the 
liorses and cattle there were 2,073,000 sheep, valued at 




Fig. 69. Angora Goats, Boquillas, Brewster County- 

86,012,000; and 2,493,000 swine, valued at 820,941,000. 
These figures will serve to show the magnitude of the 
livestock industry of the state. 



94 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

72. Wool Growing. AVool growing is an important indus- 
try notwithstanding the fact that Texas ranks eighth in the 
Hst of wool-producing states. The counties making the 
largest returns are Valverde, Edwards, Crockett, Sutton, 
Burnet, Pecos, Kerr, Lampasas, and Bandera. For the 
season of 1911 the wool crop of the state was 9,450,000 
pounds. In addition to this Texas produces more goat 
hair (mohair) than any other state of the Union, reaching 
1,997,924 pounds for the season of 1909. 

73. Poultry, Honey, and Wax. Texas leads all the states 
in the number of turkeys raised, and ranks w^ell for chickens, 
ducks, and geese. The annual valuation of poultry exceeds 
seven million dollars, and that of eggs eleven million nine 
hundred thousand dollars. 

Texas also leads in the production of honey. Bee culture 
is another industry capable of much greater development. 
At present the largest yields of honey are from Uvalde, 
Bexar, Frio, Zavalla, Atascosa, Dimmit, and JVIedina coun- 
ties ; and of wax, from Uvalde, Bexar, Frio, Zavalla, 
Houston, and Medina counties.^ 

74. Manufacturing. " Although Texas is an agricultural 
and stock-raising state . . . there has been a large growth 
in its manufacturing and mechanical industries during the 
lialf century [1850-1900]. The population during these 
years increased from 212,592 to 3,048,710, Avhile the 
average number of wage-earners employed in manufacturing 
establishments increased from 1,0GG to 48,153, embracing, 
in 1900, 1.6 per cent of the entire population, compared 
with five tenths of 1 per cent in 1850. Probably the best 
indication of the importance of the wage-earning class is 
afforded by the greatest number employed at any one time 

1 Eased upon Bulletin of the Tldrtcodh (Jeiisus. 



INDUSTRIES 95 

during the year. In 1900 this was 77,995, or 2.6 per cent 
of the total population of the state." ^ 

" In 1909 the State of Texas had 4588 manufacturing 
establishments, which gave employment to an average of 
84,575 persons during the year and paid out 848,775,000 in 
salaries and wages. Of the persons employed, 70,230 were 
wage-earners. These establishments turned out products 
to the value of S272,896,000, to produce which materials 
costing $178,179,000 were used. The value added by 
manufacture was thus $94,717,000, which figure . . . best 
represents the net wealth created by manufacturing opera- 
tions durmg the year." ^ 

75. Manufacturing Industries. The manufacturing indus- 
tries of the state include shops for the construction of cars 
and the repair of railroad appliances, saw, planing, and other 
wood-working mills, cotton-seed-oil mills, flour and grist 
mills, rice mills, machine shops and foundries, blacksmith 
and wheelwright establishments, wagon factories, ice facto- 
ries, cement works, marble and stone works, canneries of fruit 
and vegetables, tobacco factories, breweries, bottling works, 
broom factories, candy factories, cotton mills, woolen mills, 
plants for tlie manufacture of brick and tile, salt works, 
printing and publishing establishments, book binderies, har- 
ness and saddlery establishments, etc. Here should also be 
included gins for the seeding of cotton, and compresses for 
the preparation of the bales for shipment. 

The various industries above enumerated will be further 
treated in the account of the cities and towns of the state in 
later chapters, and reference will be made to the mining and 
quarrying industries in the chapter on ATineral Resources. 

1 Report of the Twelfth Census, Vol. VIII, Part II, p. 802. 

2 Bulletin of the Thirteenth Census, Manufactures: Texas, p. 3. 



CHAPTER IX 
MINERAL RESOURCES 

Of the large number of minerals and mineral substances 
found in Texas the following are of commercial importance. 

76. Coal and Lignite. The fossil fuels included under 
these names differ in age, composition, and heating power. 
Of the two, coal is the more valuable. The coals of Texas 
are found inter stratified with the rocks of the Carboniferous 
and Cretaceous systems and are classed as bituminous. In 
1911 the total output was 1,083,952 short tons, valued at 
$2,491,361. The lignites contain a higher percentage of 
water and a lower percentage of carbon ; they are therefore 
inferior to the coals as a fuel. The Texas lignites are con- 
fined to the Eocene rock system. Although these fuels are 
not of the highest grade, they are, nevertheless, exceedingly 
valuable in a large state many parts of which are entirely 
destitute of timber. In 1911 there were mined 890,641 
short tons, valued at $781,927.^ 

Carboniferous coal occurs in the eastern part of the 
Central basin. Only two of the nine seams known to exist 
are at present worked, namely, numbers 1 and 7. The 
former varies in thickness from fourteen to twenty-eight 
inches and is extensively mined at Thurber in Erath 
county. Here the Texas and Pacific Coal Company 
operates several collieries. This seam is also mined near 
Bridgeport in Wise county, at Rockcreek in Parker county, 
and near Strawn in Palo Pinto county. Seam number 7 is 

1 Mineral Resources of the United States, 1911, Part II, p. 187. 
96 




¥io. 70 



97 



98 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



worked at Cisco and somewhat irregularly in the southern 
part of Coleman county. It was formerly worked near Bowie 
in Montague county. The distribution of the Carboniferous 
rocks of the North Texas coal fields is shown on the 
map on page 97. The northern, known as the Brazos field, 
is separated from the southern, known as the Colorado 
field, by a belt of Cretaceous rocks. 




Fig. 71. A Texas Coal Mine, Thurber, Erath County 

Cretaceous coal is mined at Eagle Pass in what has been 
termed the Eagle Pass or Nueces coal field, which lies in 
Maverick county. The output is about 58,000 tons annually. 

Lignite is found in many places along the outcrop of 
Eocene strata (see map. Fig. 72). In the Santo Tomas coal 
field, north of Laredo, it resembles true coal. The mines 
here furnish an output of about 130,000 tons annually. 
Lignite is also mined at Alba in Wood county, at Rock- 
dale in Milam county, at Lytle in Atascosa county, Cal- 
vert in Robertson county, Crockett in Houston county, 



MINERAL RESOURCES 



99 



Timpson in Shelby county, and elsewhere in the state. Its 
seams vary much in thickness. Some exceed ten feet, and 
there are mines in which more than one seam can be worked. 
77. Oil (Petroleum). While oil is widely distributed in 
Texas, it is found in quantities sufficient for commercial 




Fig. 72. Map of Texas showing the Lignite, Coal, and 
Petroleum Areas 



purposes in but few places. That there are still undis- 
covered fields there can be little doubt. Its presence 
beneath the surface is often made known by the occurrence 
of natural gas (noticed at springs), bitter waters, and 
asphaltic deposits. It is obtained by boring and is encoun- 
tered at various depths, ranging in this state from a few 



100 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 




hundred feet to over 
a thousand feet. Oils 
from different fields 
vary in character. Some 
are suitable for the pro- 
duction of kerosene and 
gasoline, others are best 
adapted for fuel pur- 
poses, and still others 
are valuable as lubri- 
cants. 

The Beaumont oil 
field, near the city of 
Beaumont in Jefferson 
county, has been the 
most productive. The 
first well, the forerunner 
of a large number of 
"gushers," was brought 
in January 10, 1901. 
This was followed by a 
period of great activity 
and many wells were put 
down with good results. 
They were, however, 
crowded upon a very 
limited area known as 
Spindle-top Heights. In 
their vicinity great stor- 
age tanks have been 
erected. Several pipe 
lines connect this field 



Fig. 73. The Beatty Gusher, Beai mont 
Oil Field, 1901 




101 



102 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

with the shipping point, Port Arthur, where a large refinery 
has been erected. The output of the Beaumont field for 
1902 was estimated at 18,000,000 barrels. At the present 
time there is a great falling off, and its practical exhaustion 
seems near at hand. 

The Corsicana oil field is probably next in importance. 
Petroleum was first discovered here in 1894 while drilling 
for water. In 1896 it was found to exist in sufiicient 
quantity for shipment and refinement. Since that time 
the production of oil has been steadily carried on. Cor- 
sicana has a refinery, and a second is located at Powell, 
eight miles to the east. 

Valuable flows of oil have also been developed in Hardin 
county at Sourlake (Fig. 74), Saratoga, and Batson, in 
Harris county at Humble, and in Clay county at Petrolia, 
near Henrietta. Oil in smaller quantities has been en- 
countered in Nacogdoches county, southeast of the town of 
Nacogdoches, and in Bexar, Travis, and Brown counties. 

78. Asphaltum (Mineral Pitch). Asphalt is a substance 
closely related to petroleum. It is valuable for the manu- 
facture of paint and varnish, and especially as a pavement 
material. It is found in deposits of commercial value in 
Uvalde county, near Saint Jo in Montague county, and 
near Palestine in Anderson county. It occurs in smaller 
deposits in numerous other localities. 

79. Natural Gas. The occurrence of large volumes of 
natural gas in the oil fields is a well-known fact. It is 
also found in many other places in the state. That it is an 
excellent fuel for both manufacturing and heating purposes 
and valuable as a luminant, the wonderful development of 
the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana gas fields during the 
last twenty years affords ample proof. 



MINERAL RESOURCES 



103 



Until recently little effort had been made in Texas to 
utilize this valuable product, notwithstanding tlie high 
cost of desirable fuel. A beginning, however, had been 
made at Corsicana and at Matagorda. With the develop- 
ment of the Petrolia oil field in Clay county came the 
discovery of natural gas in sufficient volume to be of com- 
mercial importance. It has now been furnished to many 
of the cities and towns in the northern part of the state, 




Fig. 75, A Burnixg Gas Well xear Corsicana 



including Wichita Falls, Fort Worth, and Dallas. Important 
gas discoveries near Mexia have been recently announced. 
80. Iron Ores. Brown iron ore, or Lunonite, in several vari- 
eties, occurs over a large part of northeast Texas, covering- 
portions of nineteen counties and an area of about one 
thousand square miles (see Fig. 26). It is associated with 
the rocks of the Eocene system, and the ore beds often form 
the cap stone of the flat-topped hills in the Forested area (see 
Fig. 9). There are iron furnaces at Rusk (state penitentiary) 
in Cherokee county, and at Jefferson in Marion county. 



104 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Magnetic iron ore, or Magnetite^ is found in the Central 
Mineral region, as is also the Red iron ore, or Hematite; 
but the scarcity of fuel and heavy transportation charges 
have retarded the manufacture of iron in this locality. 
The magnetite and hematite ores of the Trans-Pecos re- 
gion have not yet been commercially developed, though 
ore bodies of considerable thickness have been discovered. 




Fig. 76. The Terlingua Mixing Company's Furnace, Terlingua, 
Brewster County 

The cinnabar is roasted in the furnace on the right, and the mercurial 
vapor given off in the process is conveyed to the condensers on 
the left, eight in number, where it is cooled to the liquid form, the 
quicksilver of commerce 

81. Quicksilver, or Mercury. Oinnabar, the ore from 
which quicksilver is obtained, is mined at Terlingua in 
Brewster county. The district as now known is rectan- 
gular in shape, running east and west, and is about fifteen 
miles long by four miles wide. It lies twelve miles north 
of the Rio Grande. Furnaces for the production of quick- 
silver have been built at Terlingua. From 1899 to 1910 



MINERAL RESOURCES 105 

inclusive a total of 44,476 flasks, of 76.5 pounds each, 
were produced. 

82. Gold and Silver. The precious metals are not to be 
expected outside of the Central Mineral region, or Llano 
country,! ^nd the Trans-Pecos region. In those parts of the 
state free gold is obtained in small amounts. Native silver 
is found in the Trans-Pecos region. It is reported from the 
Hazel mine north of Allamoore, in El Paso county, and 
a free-milling ore is mined at Shafter.^ Like gold, silver 
usually occurs associated with the ores of other metals. 
The total output of silver in the state for the year 1911 
was 424,394 fine ounces, valued at S214,929.'^ 

83. Copper and Lead. Copper and lead ores are found 
both in the Llano country and the Trans-Pecos region, 
but as yet neither copper nor lead has been produced in 
commercial quantities. 

Copper ores are also found in the Permian rocks of 
northern Texas, distributed through beds of clay or at times 
replacing the branches" of fossil trees (Archer, Wichita, 
jNlontague, Hardeman, Wilbarger, Haskell, Baylor, Stone- 
wall, and Knox counties). 

84. Salt. Salt is found in lakes and seeps and, as rock 
salt, it occurs interstratified with other rocks of sedimentary 
origin. Occasionally, by the rapid evaporation of sea water, 

1 The "Llano country " is the region lying along the Llano river, a 
tributary of the Colorado, and should not be confused with the Llano 
Estacado or Staked plains. 

2 The only continuously successful silver mine in Texas is at Shafter, 
Presidio county, forty-seven miles south from Marfa. It has been in 
active operation for fifteen or sixteen years and is credited with nearly 
$7,000,000 worth of silver. —William B. Phillips, The University of Texas 
Mineral Survey, Bulletin No. 5. p. 104. 

3 Mineral Resources of the United States for 1911, Part I, p. 739. 



106 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

it is formed in some of the lagoons of the lower coast. 
Commercially valuable beds have been encountered by 
boring at Colorado in Mitchell county, at Grand Saline in 
Van Zandt county, west of Palestine in Anderson county, 
and at Dayton in Liberty county. In the three localities 
first mentioned salt is manufactured by the evaporation of 
a brine secured by the introduction of water into wells 
penetrating the layers, or strata, of rock salt. 

85. Sulphur, Large deposits of sulphur have been dis- 
covered at several points in tlie Delaware creek region, 
which is situated in the northeast part of Culberson county, 
but on account of their remoteness they have not yet been 
commercially developed. Sulphur has also been encountered 
in most of the oil Avells of the Coastal region. A fine de- 
posit is said to have been penetrated m drillmg for oil at 
Damon INIound in Brazoria county. 

86. Gypsum, Lime, and Cement Rocks. There are large 
and valuable deposits of gypsum in the state, especially in 
the Permian area of the Central basin region. At present 
this mineral is commercially utilized at Acme, near Quanah 
in Hardeman county, and at Hamlin in Jones county. Four 
plants are actively engaged in the manufacture of plaster. ^ 

Lime is produced by the burning, or calcining, of lime- 
stone. Rocks adapted to this purpose are found chiefly 
in the Cretaceous system. The lime from the kilns at 
^McNeil (" Austin white lime '*) is well known for its 
excellent quality. 

Cements of value are manufactured from limestones and 
clays. At times clayey limestones are found which, when 
burned, will produce a cement, but more frequently it is 

^ Plaster of Paris is gypsum from which the water held in chemical 
combination has been expelled. 



\ 



MINERAL RESOURCES 107 

necessary to mix the ingredients artificially. The former 
product is hydraulic cement, the latter, Portland cement. 
Both possess the property of hardening beneath water and 
are therefore of great service in masonry construction. 
Materials suitable for the manufacture of cement are found 
in a number of places, but its production in quantity seems 
to be confined to the works established at San Antonio 
and Dallas. 

87. Clay. Clays of economic value abound in Texas. 
Along the Gulf coast they appear in the deposits of the 
Neocene age ; farther mland they occur Avith the deposits 
of the Eocene age and are often associated with beds of 
lignite ; still farther inland they are interstratified with 
rocks of the Cretaceous, Carboniferous, and Permian ages. 
As alluvial deposits they are found along the rivers and, 
though impure, they serve a variety of useful purposes. 

At the present time the clays of the state are chiefly 
used in the manufacture of bricks, and, as they differ 
widely in quality, there is a corresponding difference in 
the manufactured product. At Austin a light cream- 
colored, or " Milwaukee," brick is burned from the alluvial 
deposits of the Colorado river ; at Elgin in Bastrop 
county a beautiful red brick is manufactured from clay of 
the Eocene system ; at several points on the Ime of the 
Texas and Pacific Railway in Palo Pinto county, and at 
Thurber in Erath county, red bricks for the Fort Worth 
and Dallas markets are burned from Carboniferous clays ; 
and at El Paso and Laredo brickmaking materials are 
furnished by the deposits of the Rio Grande. In very 
many localities good bricks are made, but oftentimes they 
are mottled or " off color," owing to the presence of iron in 
the clay. This is especially true of the East Texas product, 



108 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

yet by a careful selection of materials these defects could 
in a great measure be remedied. 

Clays suitable for the manufacture of tile, drain and 
sewer pipe, terra cotta, and various forms of pottery, such 
as flowerpots, jugs, and other forms of earthenware, are 
also found in the state. Establishments for the utilization 
of these clays are in active operation at Athens in Hen- 
derson county, Henderson in Rusk county, McDade in 
Bastrop county, Marshall in Harrison county, Saspamco 
in Wilson county, Elmendorf in Bexar county, Denton in 
Denton county, Tyler in Smith county, Winnsboro in Wood 
county, and many other places. 

Clay suitable for the manufacture of fire brick and other 
refractory articles occurs in a number of localities. The fire 
brick from Henderson county have stood excellent tests 
both in the iron furnace at Rusk and in lime kilns. The 
products of the clay industries in the state have a value of 
))etween two and one lialf and three million dollars annually. 

88. Building and Ornamental Stones. There are excel- 
lent granites in Burnet, Llano, jNIason, and Gillespie 
counties. The pink granite from the Granite mountain 
quarries near jVlarble Falls in Burnet count}^ is a beauti- 
ful stone and, although somewhat coarse, it takes a good 
polish. Rough dressed it has been used in the ^construc- 
tion of the State Capitol at Austin and in many smaller 
structures in different parts of the state. In the form of 
large blocks it has been employed in building the jetties 
and the riprap in front of the sea wall at Galveston. A 
gray granite from near Llano is used for monumental and 
other purposes. The granites from the Trans-Pecos region 
are also of a gray color, both light and dark, but as yet 
they have not been utilized. 



MINERAL RESOURCES 



109 



Among the limestones those of the Cretaceous system are 
most extensively used. Near Austin there are several hori- 
zons which furnish valuable building material. These rocks 
are soft and light colored, but harden upon exposure and 
often lose their brightness. Cretaceous limestones have also 
been used m the northern part of the state, as at Decatur in 




Fio. 77. Oke of the Quarries at Granite Mountain, 
Burnet County 

State Capitol at Austin, and h, constructing the ietties and ]Ter t e 
ni..-ap on the exposed side of the new sea wall at Gal^s'ton 

Wise county. The Carboniferous and Permian systems like- 
wise furnish good limestones. Carboniferous limestones have 
been used for buildings in Albany, Palo Pinto, Baird, and 
elsewhere, and Permian limestones at Ballinger. Seymour, 
and other places. A blue Carboniferous limestone from Santo 
m Palo Pinto county has been used for paving at Dallas. 



110 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Of the sandstones fonnd within the state, the most beau- 
tiful is that quarried near Barstow in Ward county. It 
has a red color, an even texture, and is easily worked. In 
the eastern part of the Central basin, in the Carboniferous 
area, there is an abundance of good sandstone. In many 
instances it is preferred to limestone on account of the 
ease with which it may be quarried and dressed. Sand- 
stone of good quality has been quarried in Palo Pinto 
county, on the Texas and Pacific Railway near the Brazos 
river, for use in Fort AVorth and Dallas, and near Mineral 
Wells for local use ; also in Montague county for use at 
Bowie and Montague, and in Eastland county for use at 
Cisco and Ranger. Sandstones of the Permian system 
have been used at Wichita Falls and Henrietta with good 
results. Among the older rocks of Burnet county there are 
sandstones suitable for curbing. Nearer the coast sandstone 
has been quarried at Quarry station in the northern part 
of Washington county, and at Rockland in Tyler county. 
Along the Gulf border and in eastern Texas the lack of con- 
solidation renders the rock unsuited to building purposes, 
but the indurated sands occurring in the vicinity of Crockett 
in Houston county have been to some extent utilized. 

There are many stones in the state that may be classed 
as ornamental. They include the opal granite of Llano 
county, which in the polished form is remarkable for its 
beauty ; the agates of Presidio and Brewster counties ; 
the golden onyx from San Saba county ; the serpentines 
of Gillespie and Llano counties ; the marbles, in various 
colors, of Llano county and the Trans-Pecos region ; the 
Austin marble, a fossiliferous limestone of the Cretaceous 
age, which takes a fine polish ; and various other lime- 
stones found in different and widely separated localities. 



MINERAL RESOURCES 111 

89. Fertilizers, ^laterials of value as fertilizers occur- 
ring in the state are bat guano, gypsum, greensand marls, 
and calcareous marls. Bat guano is found in caverns, 
chiefly in the south-central counties of the state. It is 
quite valuable as a fertilizer, ranking second only to Peru- 
vian guano. Gypsum abounds in the Permian area of the 
Central basin. When ground it is known as "land plas- 
ter," and as such is used to advantage in other states. 
The greensand marls of eastern Texas are, it is thought, of 
sufficient importance to merit attention. While not of 
the highest grade, there are undoubtedly lands that Avould 
be greatly benefited by them. The value of calcareous 
marls in agriculture is well known, and their application to 
clayey and sandy soils is mechanically as well as chemically 
advantageous. The marly layers of several Cretaceous 
formations seem to be well adapted to such use. 



CHAPTER X 
RAILROADS 

90. The Pioneer Railroads. Railroad construction in 
Texas dates from 1852. Although the first charter for 
a railroad had been granted to the Texas Railroad and 
Navigation Company by the Congress of the Republic as 
early as 1836, the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado 
Railway, now a part of the Galveston, Harrisburg and 
San Antonio Railway, was the first road actually to under- 
take the work of building. Beginning at Harrisburg 
in 1852, it reached Alleyton, near the Colorado river, 
opposite Columbus, eighty miles from the initial point, 
in 1860. 

In 1853 the building of the Galveston and Red River 
Railroad was begun at Houston. By July, 1856, twenty- 
five miles had been constructed. In the meantime, how- 
ever, through reorganization, its name had been changed to 
the Houston and Texas Central Railway. In 1860, when, 
on account of the disturbed condition of the country 
immediately preceding the Civil War, the work of con- 
struction ceased, this road had reached Millican, eighty- 
one miles from Houston. 

The third road in the order of construction was the 
Galveston, Houston and Henderson, which was begun at 
Virginia Point, on the mainland near Galveston, in 1854. 
Three years later forty miles, covering the distance to 
Harrisburg, had been completed. 

112 



RAILROADS 113 

In 1856 new work was undertaken in three widely 
separated parts of the state. The San Antonio and Mexi- 
can Gulf Railroad beginning this year at Port Lavaca was 
completed to Victoria, twenty-eight miles, early in 1861. 
This road suffered destruction during the Civil War, but 
was rebuilt and is now a part of the Galveston, Harrisburg 
and San Antonio Railway (Southern Pacific). 

The same year, 1856, work was begun on a branch of 
the Southern Pacific Railway i near Caddo Lake, built 
chiefly for the transportation of materials to be used in the 
construction of its main line. Later, in 1866, when all- 
rail connection had been established between Marshall and 
Shreveport, this branch was abandoned. The main line is 
now a part of the Texas and Pacific Railway. 

The city of Houston, to secure connection with the 
Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway at Pierce, 
seven miles distant, also became a railroad builder in 1856. 
The Houston Tap, as the new road was termed, was sold 
to the Houston Tap and Brazoria Railroad and now forms 
a part of the International and Great Northern. 

The construction of the Memphis, El Paso and Pacific 
Railway was begun in Bowie county, near Texarkana, in 
February, 1857. It was the intention of the builders to 
bring the rails and other necessary material up the Sul- 
phur fork of Red river by steamboats to Moore's Landing 
(now Sulphur Station), and in fact some of the rolling 
stock had already reached that destination when by an unex- 
pected addition to the Great Raft navigation from below 
was completely suspended. It then became necessary to 
build a branch line^ forty-two miles in length, to Jefferson, 
on Caddo Lake, to which point river steamers had free 
1 Not the present Southern Pacific Company. 



114 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

access, in order to bring material needed in the construction 
of the main line. Five miles of this branch had been com- 
pleted and seventy-five miles of the main line made ready 
for the rails at the outbreak of the Civil War. This was 
the initial work on the line of the present Texas and Pacific 
Railway. 

The Washington County Railroad originated in the 
desire on the part of the farmers of one of the richest 
agricultural regions of the state for a wider market, such 
as would be afforded by direct connection with the seaport 
of Galveston. To that end work was begun on this rail- 
road also in February, 1857. In 1860 twenty-five miles, 
between Hempstead, on the Houston and Texas Central, 
and Brenham, were completed. This road was absorbed 
by the Houston and Texas Central, becoming a part of 
the Austin branch. 

Under the charter name of Sabine and Galveston Bay 
Railroad and Lumber Company work was begun at Hous- 
ton, in 1858, upon a line to the Sabine river to connect 
with a road from Berwick's Bay, Louisiana, and ultimately 
to form part of an all-rail route to New Orleans. The 
following year its name was changed to Texas and New 
Orleans Railroad. By 1861 it had reached the Sabine 
at the town of Orange. 

These roads, together with the Indianola Railroad, 
chartered in 1858 and, after grading a few miles, merged, 
in 1860, with the San Antonio and Mexican Gulf Railway, 
were the pioneer railroads of Texas. 

91. Railroad Construction during and since the Civil War. 
In 1860 there were three hundred and seven miles of rail- 
road in actual operation in the state. Although one hun- 
dred and forty-four miles were added during the years 



RAILROADS 115 

1861 and 1862, the period of the great Civil War was not con- 
dncive to railroad building, and in 1863 and 1864 there was 
no construction whatever. The years immediately following 
the war up to 1869 were years of financial depression in the 
South, and the total increase in Texas railroads amounted 
to only sixty-two miles. That year, however, seventy addi- 
tional miles were put into operation. The smallest addition 
to the mileage of the state since 1868, which, like the years 
1863 and 1864, witnessed no construction, was in 1875 
(thirty-five miles). The years of greatest activity in railroad 
building, on the other hand, were 1881 (sixteen hundred and 
sixty-nine miles) and 1882 (ten hundred and ninety-six miles). 

The total mileage of the state for the year ending June 
30, 1912, is 14,940.90, exclusive of the logging, or tram, 
roads, not recognized by the State Railroad Commission as 
common carriers, and the mterurban electric lines. 

92. Railroad Systems. Although all Texas railroads are 
obliged by law to organize as separate and distinct lines and 
to maintain general offices in the state, most of them fall 
within one of the seven dominating " systems " here given, 
namely, the Southern Pacific, the Gould, the Santa Fe, the 
" Katy," the Denver, the Rock Island, and the '' Frisco." 

Southern Pacific System. 1. Galveston, Harrisbiirg and San 
Antonio Railway. Houston to the Rio Grande bridge via Richmond, 
Eagle Lake, Columbus, Weimar, Schulenburg, Waelder, Luling, 
Seguin, San Antonio, Uvalde, Delrio, San Elizario, Ysleta, and El 
Paso ; Spofford to Eagle Pass ; Harwood to Gonzales ; Glidden to 
La Grange ; Harrisburg to Stella ; Rosenberg to Beeville ; Wharton 
to Palacios ; Bay City to Hawkinsville ; Port Lavaca to Gulf Junc- 
tion ; Magers to Galveston. ]Mileage,i 1331.70. 

1 The mileage is that of June 30, 1912, upon the authority of the Rail- 
road Commission of Texas. 



116 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



2. Texas and New Orleans Railroad. Houston to Sabine river 
(Orange county) via Beaumont and Orange ; Dallas to Sabine Pass 
via Kaufman, Athens, Jacksonville, Nacogdoches, Woodville, Warren, 
and Beaumont ; ^\'"est Port Arthur to Port Arthur ; Gallatin to Rusk ; 
Nome to Sourlake ; Houston to Clinton. Mileage, 452.12. 




Fig. 78. A Part of the Pecos River Viaduct on the Line 
OF THE Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway 
(Southern Pacific) 

This structure, 2184 feet long and 321 feet high, is the highest bridge in North 
America and the third highest in the world. Of greater interest to the geog- 
rapher is the view of the Pecos valley at this point 



3. Houston and Texas Central Railroad. Houston to Denison via 
Hempstead, Navasota, Bryan, Hearne, Calvert, Bremond, Groesbeck, 
Mexia, Corsicana, Ennis, Dallas, McKinney, and Sherman ; Mexia 
to Nelleva ; Hutchins to Ross ; Hemj^stead to Llano via Brenham, 
Giddings, Elgin, Austin, and Burnet ; Bremond to Ross via Waco ; 
Garrett to Fort Worth via Waxahachie ; Fairland to Marble Falls ; 
Burnet to Lampasas. Mileage, 789.01. 



RAILROADS 117 

4. Houston, East and West Texas Railway. Houston to Texas- 
Louisiana line at Logansport via Livingston, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, 
and Timpson. Mileage, 190. 9L 

Gould System. 1. Texas and Pacific Railway. State line, Harri- 
son county, near Waskom, to Fort Worth via Marshall, Longview, 
Mineola, Terrell, and Dallas ; Texarkana to Fort Worth via Clarksville, 
Paris, Honey Grove, Bonham, Sherman, and Whitesboro ; Texarkana 
to Marshall via Atlanta and Jefferson ; Fort Worth to Sierra Blanca, 
El Paso county, via Weatherford, Cisco, Abilene, and Colorado. 
This road enters £1 Paso over the track of the Galveston, Harris- 
burg and San Antonio Railway, IO08.I6 miles ; Denison and Pacific 
Suburban Railway, 7.63 miles ; Weatherford, Mineral Wells and 
Northwestern Railway, 43.64 miles. Total mileage, 1089.43. 

2. International and Great Northern Railroad. Longview Junc- 
tion to Laredo via Palestine, Hearne, Rockdale, Taylor, Austin, and 
San Antonio ; Palestine to Houston via Crockett and Conroe ; Troup 
to Mineola via Tyler ; Overton to Henderson ; Phelps to Huntsville ; 
Round Rock to Georgetown ; Houston to Columbia ; Spring to Fort 
Worth (Houston and Fort Worth Line) via Navasota, Bryan, ^Nlarlin, 
and Waco ; Navasota to Madisonville ; Yalley to Calvert. Mileage, 
1106.00. 

3. Saint Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas. Texarkana to 
Gatesville via Mount Pleasant, Pittsburg, Gilmer, Tyler, Athens, 
Corsicana, Hubbard City, and Waco ; INIount Pleasant to Sherman 
via Sulphur Springs, Commerce, Wolfe City, and Whitewright ; Com- 
merce to Fort Worth via Greenville, Wylie, and Piano ; Corsicana 
to Hillsboro ; Tyler to Angelina river via Jacksonville and Lufkin ; 
Noel to Dallas. Total mileage, 695.21. 

4. Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad. Houston to 
Galveston. Total mileage, 46.60. 

Santa F6 System. 1. Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway. 
Galveston to Red river (Cooke county) via Alvin, Rosenberg, Sealy, 
Bellville, Brenham, Somerville, Caldwell, Cameron, Rogers, Temple, 
Moody, McGregor, Clifton, Cleburne, Fort Worth, Sanger, and 
Gainesville ; Cleburne to Paris via Alvarado, Dallas, Farmersville ; 
Wolfe City and Ladonia ; Somerville to Silsl)ee via Navasota, Conroe, 
and Cleveland; Temple to San Angelo via Belton, Lampasas, 



118 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Goldthwaite, Brownwood, Coleman Junction, and Ballinger; Coleman 
Junction to Coleman ; Alvin to Houston ; Clel)urne to Weatherford; 
Ladonia to Honey Grove; Bragg to Saratoga; Lonieta to Eden. 
Mileage, 1146.65. 

2. Southern Kansas Railway of Texas. Texas-Oklahoma line 
near Higgins, Lipscomb county, to Washburn. Mileage, 124.92. 

3. Pecos and Northern Texas Railway. Amarillo to Texas-Xew 
Mexico line at Texico ; Canyon to Lubbock ; Plainview to Floydada ; 
Slaton to Lamesa. Mileage, 478.67. 

4. Pecos River Railroad. Pecos to State Line in Reeves county. 
Mileage, 54.24. 

5. Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City Railway. Beaumont to 
Roganville. jNlileage, 62.62 ; and Jasper and Eastern Railway. 
Mileage, 17.50. 

6. Gulf, Beaumont and Great Northern Railway. Roganville to 
Center. Mileage, 77.78. 

7. Cane Belt Railroad. Sealy to INIatagorda. Lakeside through 
Donovant Plantation ; Lane City to Garwood. Mileage, 107.84. 

8. The Texas and Gulf Railway. Longview to Carthage, Boren, 
Timpson, Waterman, and Grigsby; Gary to Center. Mileage, 94.86. 

"Katy" (Missouri, Kansas, and Texas) System. 1. Missouri, 
Kansas and Texas Railway of Texas. Red river to Denison ; 
Denison to Whitesboro ; Fort Worth to Houston via Alvarado, 
Hillsboro, Waco, Temple, Taylor, Elgin, Bastrop, Smithville, La 
Grange, and Sealy ; Denison to Mineola via Whitewright and 
Greenville ; Greenville to Hillsboro via Rockwall, Dallas, and 
Waxahachie ; Denton to Dallas ; AVhitesboro to Henrietta via 
Gainesville; Denison to Sherman; Trinity to Colmesneil via Grove- 
ton ; Echo to Belton ; Smithville to San Antonio via Lockhart, San 
Marcos, and New Braunf els ; McKinney to Texas-Louisiana line near 
Waskom via Farmersville, Greenville, Sulj)hur Springs, Pittsburg, 
and Jefferson ; (iranger to Austin via Georgetown. Mileage, 1119.33. 

2. Denison, Bonham and New Orleans Railroad. Bonham Junc- 
tion to Bonham. Mileage, 24.17. 

3. Dallas, Cleburne and Southwestern Railway. Egan to Cleburne. 
Mileage, 9.82. 

4. Wichita Falls Railway. Henrietta to Wichita Falls. Mileage, 
17.98. 



RAILROADS 119 

5. Texas Central Railroad. Waco to Rotaii via Walnut Springs, 
Dublin, Cisco, Albany, and Stamford ; De Leon to Cross Plains. 
Mileage, 808.72. 

Denver System. 1. Fort ^^'ortll and Denver City Railway. Fort 
Worth to Sixela via Decatur, Bowie, Henrietta, Wichita Falls, Ver- 
non, Quanah, Clarendon, Amarillo, and Dalhart. Mileage, 454.14. 

2. The Wichita Valley Railway. Wichita Falls to Seymour. 
Mileage, 52.20. 

3. Wichita Valley Railroad. Seymour to Stamford. Mileage, 
60.70. 

4. Wichita Falls and Oklahoma Railway. Wichita Falls to 
Byers. Mileage, 22.80. 

5. Abilene and Northern. Stamford to Abilene. Mileage, 38.70. 
Rock Island System. 1. Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway, 

Oklahoma-Texas line at Texhoma via Dalhart to Texas-New Mexico 
line ; Amarillo east to Texas-Oklahoma line near Texola ; State line 
at Red river in JNlontague county to Fort Worth ; Bridgeport to 
Graham via Jacksboro ; Fort Worth to Dallas ; Irving to Carrollton. 
Mileage, 468.89. 

"Frisco" System. 1. Saint Louis, San Francisco and Texas Rail- 
way. Red river to Denison and track in Sherman; Sherman to 
Carrollton ; Vernon to Red river ; Quanah to Red river. Mileage, 
85.32. 

2. Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway. Fort Worth to Menard 
via Granbury, Stephenville, Dublin, Comanche, Brownwood, and 
Brady. Mileage, 223.44. 

3. Paris and Great Northern Railroad. Paris to Red river. 
Mileage, 16.94. 

4. Saint Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway. Algoa via 
Kingsville to Brownsville; Harlingen to SamFordyce; Bloomington 
to Port O'Connor; Buckeye to Collegeport. Mileage, 463.91. 

5. Beaumont, Sour Lake and W^estern Railway. Houston to 
Beaumont. Mileage, 84.29. 

93. Other Railroads. 

1. San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway. San Antonio to 
Kerrville via Boerne ; San Antonio to Corj^us Christi via Floresville, 
Kenedy, and Beeville ; Gregory to Rockport ; Skidmore via Alice to 



120 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Falfurrias; Kenedy to Houston via Ciiero, Yoakum, Hallettsville, 
and Eagle Lake ; Yoakum to Waco via Flatonia, Giddings, Rockdale, 
and Cameron ; Austin Junction to Lockhart. Mileage, 723.-80. 

2. Texas Mexican Railway. Corpus Christi to Laredo and Fort 
Mcintosh. Mileage, 161.84. 

3. Texas Midland Railroad. Paris to Commerce ; Greenville to 
Ennis. Mileage, 111.18. 

4. Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway (Port Arthur Route). 
Red river to Texas-Arkansas line near Bloomburg via Texarkana ; 
Sabine river to Port Arthur via Beaumont; Neches Junction to 
Port Neches. Mileage, 85.75. 

5. Marshall and East Texas Railway. East AYinnsboro to Mar- 
shall via Gilmer ; Marshall to Elysian Fields. Mileage, 94.76. 

6. The Gulf and Interstate Railway. Beaumont via High Island 
to Bolivar. Mileage, 70.88. 

7. The Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway. Houston to Waxa- 
hachie ; Teague to Cleburne. Mileage, 302.82. 

8. Abilene and Southern Railway. Abilene to Ballinger ; Anson 
to Hamlin. Mileage, 72.17. 

9. San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad. Uvalde to Carrizo 
Springs; Crystal City to Gardendale ; Gardendale to Fowlerton. 
Mileage, 119.90. 

10. Stephenville, North and South Texas Railway. Stephenville 
to Gatesville ; Edson to Comanche. Mileage, 105.18. 

11. Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway. Red river (Elmer) 
to Girvin. Mileage, 369.11. (Now extended to Alpine.) 

Total mileage of above railroads, 13,534.85. 

Mileage of minor railroads, 1406.05. 

Total mileage in Texas on June 30, 1912, not including electric, 
interurban, and "lumber " roads, 14,940.90 ^ ; and on June 30, 1913, 
15,283.59.2 

- Twenty-first Annual Report of the Bailroad Commission of Texas for 
the Year 1912, p. 390. 

2 The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide, 1014, p. 138. 



CHAPTER XI 
IMPORTANT EVENTS IN TEXAS HISTORY 

94. Early Attempts at Settlement. The earliest settle- 
ment within the present boundaries of Texas was made 
by the Spanish at Ysleta on the Rio Grande in 1682. 
In 1685 a French expedition under La Salle, search- 
ing for the mouth of the Mississippi, entered Matagorda 
bay. Landing here, its commander took possession of 
the country in the name of the king of France and 
established Fort Saint Louis, on Lavaca river. A few 
years later the post was destroyed by the Indians. In the 
meantime the Spanish, hearing of the French settlement, 
sent a series of expeditions under Ponce de Leon to dis- 
cover its whereabouts, the third of which was successful. 
He found the bleaching bones of some of the colonists. 
The object of a fourth under the same leader was to 
establish a mission among the Tejas Indians. This was 
accomplished in 1690, but the Indians were troublesome, 
and in 1693 the Spanish were forced to give up the mission 
and retreat. 

95. French and Spanish Claims. The Missions. The 
French, however, who were becoming more firmly estab- 
lished on the Mississippi, still claimed the region as far 
west as Matagorda bay by virtue of La Salle's settlement. 
In 1713 they organized an expedition under Saint-Denis 
for the purpose of opening up trade relations with the 
Spanish. That daring young officer, after numerous 

121 



122 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

delays, finally succeeded in crossing the " vast wilderness " 
of Texas and presented his passport at the presidio of 
Captain Diego Ramon beyond the Rio Grande. His pres- 
ence here was sufficient to arouse the Spanish to the 
necessity of holding the country. They accordingly organ- 
ized a counter expedition, composed of priests and soldiers, 
for the purpose of establishing missions and Christianizing 
the Indians. In this expedition, strange as it may seem, 
Saint-Denis (IT 15) accepted the position of chief guide. 
The missions were successfully established, and thus the 
Spanish secured title to Texas. In 1721 Sieur de Bien- 
ville, the commandant of Louisiana, fitted out an expedi- 
tion to make good the claim of France. It reached Fort 
Saint Louis, but on account of the hostility of the Indians 
soon returned to New Orleans. The rivalry of the French 
and the Spanish and the incursions of the Indians hindered 
both the settlement of the country and its civilization. 
Though the settlers and garrison at San Antonio had 
defeated their Indian enemies in a desperate battle (1732), 
it was still dangerous to venture far from the post, and 
twenty-five years later the inmates of the San Saba 
Mission were massacred to a man. In 1762 King Louis 
XV of France transferred to the king of Spain all of 
Louisiana west of the Mississippi. This settled for a time 
the dispute over the Texas-Louisiana boundary, which had 
been the cause of much bitterness between the Spanish 
and the French. In 1794 the missions were secularized. 
Though the pomp and ceremony of the church had disap- 
peared, they were still to serve as strongholds in the later 
struggles. 

96. Spanish Rule and the Anglo-American. In 1800 
Spain returned Louisiana to France. Now transpired an 



IMPORTANT EVEXTS IN TEXAS HISTORY 123 

event of the greatest importance — the coming of the 
Anglo-American, a few adventurous spirits at first and 
then a body of actual settlers who were destined soon to 
possess themselves not only of the land but of the govern- 
ment as well. This year Philip Nolan, having obtained 
permission of De Nava, the Spanish commandant of Texas, 
entered the province for the purpose of capturing wild 
horses. Suspected of harboring some other design, orders 
were sent for his arrest. These the Spanish captain at 
Nacogdoches attempted to enforce, and in the attack Nolan 
and one of his men were killed. The remainder of his 
party surrendered. 

97. The Louisiana-Texas Boundary. Magee's Invasion. 
The sale of Louisiana to the United States in 1803 reopened 
the old question concerning the Texas-Louisiana boundary 
and for a time war seemed probable, but it was finally 
agreed that until further arrangements could be made the 
strip of land, about thirty miles wide, between the Sabine 
river and the Arroyo Hondo should be neutral ground, 
that is, should be occupied by neither the Spanish nor the 
Americans. It immediately became the resort of robbers 
and desperadoes. In the meantime the Mexicans them- 
selves were becoming restive under the Spanish rule, 
and although their uprisings were for a time put down, 
they nevertheless afforded the Anglo-American a pretext 
for the invasion of Texas. In 1812 Augustus Magee, 
formerly a lieutenant in the United States army, and 
Colonel Bernardo Gutierrez [goo-te-er' es\ a Spanish refugee 
from Mexico, raised an army in the neutral ground. Their 
object was to assist Mexico in throwing off the Spanish 
yoke. At first they were very successful. Nacogdoches 
and La Bahia (Goliad) were soon in tlieir possession. 



124 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The Spanish army sent against them was defeated at 
Rosillo creek, near San Antonio, March 28, 1813, and 
the victors marched to the Alamo (San Antonio). In 
June they defeated another Spanish army, but finally, on 
August 1 8, they were utterly crushed by the third Spanish 
army (battle of the Medina). 

98. Lafitte. In 1816 Galveston island was for a short 
time the seat of a " republic " having for its chief business 
privateering. Shortly thereafter, during the absence of 
the " republicans," the island was seized by Jean Lafitte, 
who established there his ''kingdom." Not only were 
Spanish ships captured, but slaves were landed and smug- 
gled into Louisiana to be sold. Lafitte finally left the 
island, after destroying his fort, upon the order of the 
United States government. 

99. Long's Invasion. In 1819 the Sabine river was 
fixed by treaty as the boundary between those parts of 
Texas and Louisiana adjacent to the Gulf. This year 
another party of Anglo-Americans, organized at Natchez, 
Mississippi, under James Long, invaded the province for 
the purpose of establishing a republic. Nacogdoches 
became the seat of government and even a newspaper was 
published. The settlers were, however, soon scattered by 
the Spanish. Again, in 1821, Long, with a few followers, 
attempted to establish himself at Goliad. In this he 
was unsuccessful, being captured and sent to a Mexican 
prison. 

100. Austin's Colony. In January, 1821, Moses Austin 
had been granted permission, through the influence of 
Baron de Bastrop, to establish a colony in Texas, but 
dying in June, the conduct of this enterprise fell to his 
son, Stephen F. Austin. In the meantime (August) the 



IMPORT AXT EVENTS IX TEXAS HISTORY 125 

Mexicans had succeeded in throwing off the Spanish yoke 
and had established an independent government. Austin's 
first colonists reached the Brazos late in the year (Decem- 
ber) and there began their settlement. In 1823 a town 
was built called San Felipe {fd-Wpdy de Austin, which 
became the capital of Austin's colony. In 1824 Texas 
and Coahuila became a single state of the new Mexican 
republic. Under the grants made by the congress of this 
state immigration continued, thus increasing the Anglo- 
American population. The Mexicans soon began to view 
this movement as a source of danger, never having been 
entirely free from suspicion since the early boundary dis- 
putes. This suspicion was further increased by the knowl- 
edge that the United States desired to purchase Texas. 

101. Mexican Irritation. In 1829 President Guerrero, 
who was then exercising dictatorial power, issued a decree 
abolishing slavery in the Mexican republic, but Texas 
was exempted from its operation. In 1830 Bustamante 
(boos-ta-mdn'tci) became president of the republic. His 
government was unfavorable to Anglo-American immigra- 
tion, forbade further introduction of slaves into Texas, and 
cut off the privilege of importing goods free of duty which 
the colonists had hitherto enjoyed. This the settlers con- 
sidered not only burdensome but unjust. The revolution 
of 1832, headed by Santa Anna, followed. The colonists 
now held two conventions at San Felipe de Austin, one in 
the fall of 1832, the other in the spring of 1833, to dis- 
cuss the situation, and it was finally decided to petition 
the Mexican government for a repeal of the former decrees 
and a separation from Coahuila. The petition was pre- 
sented by Austin. Becoming impatient at the numerous 
1 Pronounced FiVe-p'e in Texas. 



126 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

delays, he wrote to the authorities at San Antonio recom- 
mending the formation of a separate state. In the mean- 
time the petition was passed upon, and, while much 
remained ungranted, Santa Anna promised the repeal of 
the law against colonization. News of Austin's letter, 
however, caused his arrest, and it was not until 1835 that 
he was allowed to return to his settlement. Santa Anna 
had now become dictator and, although hostile bands of 
Indians still roamed over the country, his congress ordered 
the disarming of the Texans. General Cos was sent to 
enforce this decree. This spark fired the revolution 
which set Texas free. 

102. The Texas Revolution. An attempt on the part of 
the Mexicans to seize a cannon at Gonzales met with 
resistance (October 2, 1835). A few days later Goliad 
was captured by the Texans. On October 10 Austin 
reached Gonzales and was elected commander of the 
rapidly gathering army. General Cos had now reached 
San Antonio. On October 28 occurred the battle of Con- 
cepcion {con-sep-si-on')^ in which the Texans were vic- 
torious (see San Antonio). Though they were still loyal to 
the Mexican constitution of 1824, a general consultation of 
the Texans began its session at San Felipe de Austin on 
November 3 and a provisional government was formed. 
Austin having been appointed one of the commissioners 
to the United States, the command of the army now 
fell upon General Edward Burleson. On December 9 
following General Cos and his army at San Antonio sur- 
rendered. The Texans thus secured a large quantity of 
arms, ammunition, and stores. While the volunteer army 
was besieging San Antonio, Sam Houston, undoubtedly 
the most remarkable character in Texas history, had been 




127 



128 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

appointed commander in chief of the regular army, whose 
organization had been provided for by the provisional 
government. 

103. The Alamo, Goliad, and San Jacinto. The new year, 
1836, had scarcely opened when Santa Anna himself 
invaded Texas at the head of a large body of troops. On 
February 23 he appeared before San Antonio. The small 
garrison under Colonel William B. Travis retired to the 
Alamo and there prepared for defense. A summons to 
surrender was declined. On March 6 the Mexicans made 
their final assault, and the entire garrison was annihi- 
lated, fighting to the last man (see San Antonio). Colo- 
nel Fannin, in attempting to retreat from Goliad, was 
overtaken by the Mexicans and forced to surrender. Taken 
back to Goliad, his entire command was shot down in cold 
blood — an act unparalleled in history. This was Palm 
Sunday, 1836. The Mexican army now pushed on, and 
General Houston, who had taken command of the Texans 
at Gonzales, upon hearing of the defeat at the Alamo, 
began a hasty retreat which continued about six weeks. 
Finally, at San Jacinto, April 21, one division of the Mex- 
ican army was completely overwhelmed by Houston, and 
Santa Anna himself made prisoner. 

104. The Republic of Texas. Already, on March 2, at 
Washington, the people of Texas had declared that all 
political connection with Mexico was forever ended and 
that they now constituted a/re^, sovereign^ and independent 
republic^ and two weeks later David G. Burnet had been 
elected president of the provisional government (March 
16-17). On September 1, at a general election, Sam 
Houston was chosen president. He was inaugurated at 
Columbia on October 22, and Stephen F. Austin became 



IMPORTANT EVENTS IN TEXAS HISTORY 129 

secretary of state. The following year the republic was 
recognized by the United States, and soon after by other 
nations. 

105. The State of Texas. Still the Anglo-American 
colonists came, and in 1845 Texas was admitted to the 
United States by annexation. This aroused great indig- 
nation in Mexico and was the cause of a war between that 
country and the United States in which the latter was vic- 
torious. Not only was the Rio Grande established as the 
boundary between Texas and Mexico, but the United 
States secured a vast tract of land between Texas and the 
Pacific coast, including California. Texas grew rapidly 
in population and wealth until the outbreak of the Civil 
War. In 1861 the state withdrew from the Union and 
joined the Confederacy. The years following were years 
of hardship and sorrow. The end of the struggle found 
the people impoverished and disheartened. Texas was 
readmitted to the Union in 1870, and since 1874 has 
advanced with enormous strides. Wealth and prosperity 
have thrown their mantles about her, the population has 
increased with wonderful rapidity, thousands of miles of 
railroads have been built, and large cities and thriving 
towns have sprung up. Where the lonely and widely 
separated missions once held sway, the Anglo-American 
has developed a great and prosperous country. The Span- 
ish civilization, such as it was, has passed away and the 
Indian is no more ; a better civilization has replaced the 
old, and a stronger race has made the land its own. 



CHAPTER Xir 
THE GOVERNMENT 

The government of the state of Texas, like that of the 
other states, is divided into three distinct departments, — 
the legislative^ the executive, and the judicial. 

106. The Legislative Department. The legislative depart- 
ment consists of a senate (upper house) and a house of 
representatives (lower house), which together are styled 
" The Legislature of the State of Texas." The legislature 
is the lawmaking power. 

The senate is limited to thirty-one members, one half of 
whom (fifteen or sixteen, as the case may be) are elected 
every two years for a term of four years, with the excep- 
tion that, following a reapportionment, a new senate is 
elected and the members draw by lot for the long and 
short terms (two and four years), after which, until the 
next reapportionment, they are elected one half biennially 
as above stated. 

The members of the house of representatives are elected 
biennially for two years. There cannot be more than one 
representative for every fifteen thousand inhabitants, and 
the total membership of the house cannot exceed one hun- 
dred and fifty. The present number (apportionment of 
1901) is one hundred and thirty-three. 

The lieutenant governor is ex officio president of the 
senate, which elects from among its members a presi- 
dent 2)ro tempore who shall preside in the absence of the 

130 



TIIK GOVERNMENT 131 

lieutenant governor. The presiding officer of the house is the 
speaker, who is elected by that body from its own membership. 
The legislature meets every two years at such time as 
may be provided by law (second Tuesday in January), and 
at other times when convened by the governor. 

107. The Executive Department. The executive depart- 
ment consists of a governor, wlio is the chief executive 
officer of the state, a lieutenant governor, a secretary of 
state, a comptroller of public accounts, a treasurer, a commis- 
sioner of the general land office, and an attorney-general, — 
officers provided for by the constitution. They are elected 
for a term of two years, with the exception of the secretary 
of state, who is appointed by the governor. In addition to 
the above, a state superintendent of public instruction and a 
commissioner of agriculture, each elected for a term of two 
years, an adjutant general and a commissioner of insurance 
and banking appointed for the same term by the governor, and 
three railroad commissioners, one of whom is elected every 
two years for a term of six years, are provided for by statute, 
as are also a state health officer, a state revenue agent, a 
state tax commissioner, a state purchasing agent, a state 
labor commissioner, a game, fish, and oyster commissioner, 
etc., as well as the various administrative boards. 

108. The Judicial Department. The judicial department 
consists of the following courts : (1) The supreme court, 
with three judges, one of whom is elected every two years 
for a term of six years. (2) The court of criminal appeals, 
with tln-ee judges elected in the same manner. (3) The courts 
of civil appeals, eight in number. Each of these courts has 
three judges Avho are elected as in the preceding cases. 
(4) District courts, of which there are seventy in the state.^ 

1 Accordinu- to the Revised Civil Code, lUll. 



132 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

A district judge is elected for the term of four years. 
(5) County courts (one in each organized county), whose 
presiding officers, county judges, are elected for the term of 
two years. (6) Commissioners' courts (one in each organ- 
ized county), whose presiding officers are the county judges. 
The other members of these courts are four commissioners 
elected for the term of two years. (7) Justices' courts, of 
which there is one in each of the precincts (not less than 
four nor more than eight) into which the county is divided. 
The presiding officers are justices of the peace. They are 
elected biennially and hold their office two years. 

Vacancies in the offices of judges of the supreme court, 
the court of criminal appeals, the court of civil appeals, 
and the district courts are filled by appointments made by 
the governor until the next general election ; vacancies in 
the office of county judges and justices of the peace are filled 
by appointments made by the commissioners' court until 
the next general election for such offices. (See the Con- 
stitution of the State of Texas.) 

Reference : The Government of the People of the State of 
Texas, by George Pierce Garrison. Philadelphia: Eldredge 
and Brother, 1900. 

109. Presidents of the Republic of Texas. 

David G. Burnet, president ad Interim, March 16 or 17,^ 
1836-October 22, 1836. 

Sam Houston, October 22, 1836-December 10, 1838. 
Mirabeau B. Lamar, December 10, 1838-December 13, 1841. 
Sam Houston, December 13, 1841-December 9, 1844.^ 
Anson Jones, December 9, 1844-February 16, 1846. 

1 Existing records are not clear as to this date. 

2 General Houston afterwards represented Texas in the United States 
Senate, and later was elected governor of the state. 



THE GOVERNMENT 



133 



110. Governors of the State of Texas. 



J. Pinckney Henderson 
George T. Wood . 
P. Hansborongh Bell 
Elisha M. Pease 
Hardin R. Runnels 
Sam Houston . . 
Edward Clark . . 
Frank R. Lubbock 
Pendleton Murrali . 
A. J. Hamilton . . 
James W. Throckmorton 
Elisha M. Pease 
Edmund J. Davis . 
Richard Coke . . 
Richard B. Hubbard 
Oran M. Roberts . 
John Ireland . . 
Lawrence S. Ross . 
James S. Hogg . . 
Charles A. Culberson 
Joseph D. Sayers . 
S. W. T. Lanham . 
Thomas M. Campbell 
Oscar B. Colquitt . 



1846-1847 

1847-1849 

1849-185.3 

1853-1857 

1857-1859 

1859-1861 

1861 (March to November) 

1861-1863 

1863-1865 

1865-1866 (appointed) 

1866-1867 

1867-1869 (appointed) 

1870-1874 

1874-1876 

1876-1879 

1879-1883 

1883-1887 

1887-1891 

1891-1895 

1895-1899 

1899-1903 

1903-1907 

1907-1911 

1911- 



CHAPTER XIII 
EDUCATION 

111. The Public Schools. The public schools of Texas 
have, during the last ten years, made great progress, due 
largely to the influence of the state normal schools and 
The University of Texas in furnishing trained and com- 
petent teachers. The cities and larger towns have all organ- 
ized graded schools, and in 1913 there were within the 
state over one hundred and fifty public high schools affiliated 
with tlie university — schools which fulfill the entrance 
requirements in certain specified branches, such as English, 
history, mathematics, ancient and modern huiguages, etc. 

112. The State Permanent School Fund. The state per- 
manent school fund for the year endhig August 31, 1912, 
was as follows : ^ 

Cash $90,729.80 

Bonds, state 2,872,000.00 

Bonds, county 8,313,584.00 

Bonds, city and independent school district 5,280,729.78 

Bonds, railroad 1,603,317.00 

Land notes 50,909,287.42 

Accrued interest 220,631.25 

Unsold land at $1 i:>er acre 1,636,176.49 

Total $70,926,455.74 

- Compiled from Annual Report of the Treasurer of the State of 
Texas for the fiscal year ending August 31, 1912, p. 30. 

134 



EDUCATION 135 

113. The County Permanent School Fund for the year 
ending August 31, 1912, included i^ 

Land notes $4,545,304.28 

Other securities 121,658.01 

Leased lands (estimated) 3,088,890.51 

Interest-bearing bonds 3,991,539.52 

Cash 427,049.29 

Total $12,174,441.61 

114. The Available School Fund. This fund consists 
of the income of the state permanent school fund (interest 
on bonds and land notes), the mcome of the county per- 
manent school fund, one fourth of all occupation taxes, 
a one-dollar poll tax, and a state tax of twenty cents on the 
hundred dollars. The available scliool fund for the year 
ending August 31, 1912, amounted to $7,176,380.04. 

Cities and towns may have control of the public schools 
within their limits and may levy a special tax, not exceed- 
ing one half of one per cent, for their additional support. 
In consequence of this provision of the law, for the year 
mentioned, $4,235,935.58 was realized from local taxation. 
These funds were also supplemented by the tuition re- 
ceived from pupils under and over the lawful school age. 

115. Sam Houston Normal Institute. This school for the 
training of teachers was established at Huntsville in 1879 
largely through the efforts of Dr. Barnas Sears, at that 
time the agent of the Peabody Educational Fund. In this 
work he was warmly supported by Governor O. ^l. Roberts 
and Dr. R. C. Burleson. The institute stands as a memo- 
rial to General Sam Houston. It is well equipped with 
buildings and apparatus, and has been the recipient of aid 

1 From Eighteenth Biennial Iveport of the State Department of 
Education. 




Fig. 80. Sam Houston Normal Institute, Main Building, 
huntsville 





ilHHKlr'^" ^ A,.,., o_j__fi^il 


^^^B 


^^^^^^^^^Bfe^r / ^''y '. -'^j^BftMiiMi^^^^^^^^^B 



Fig. 81. Sam Houston Normal Institute, 
Building 

136 



Peabody Library 



EDUCATION 137 

from the Peabody Fund and of legislative appropriation. 
It has furnished the state with a large number of teachers 
and has done much to advance the cause of education. 
During the first twenty years of its existence the names of 
nearly five thousand different pupils were borne on its rolls. 
116. North Texas State Normal College. The second 
normal school in the state was established at Denton under 
an act of the twenty-sixth legislature approved March 31, 
1899. It opened its doors to students on September 18, 
1901, and has a large attendance. One building and the 
grounds were the gift of the j^eople of Denton. 




Fig. 82. North Texas State Normal College, Denton 

117. Southwest Texas Normal School. The third normal 
school in the state was created by an act of the twenty-sixth 
legislature approved May 10, 1899. It is located at San 
Marcos, a thriving town on the International and Great 
Northern and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroads, 
thirty-one miles southwest of Austin. The citizens of that 
town, fully appreciating the value of such an institution, 
donated a commanding site known as Chautauqua Hill, 
upon which suitable buildings have been erected. The 
first annual session opened September 9, 1903. 



138 



THE GEOGKAPHY OF TEXAS 



118. The West Texas Normal College, situated at Canyon, 
Randall county, eighteen miles south of Amarillo, was 
established by an act of the thirty-first legislature. It was 
opened for the reception of students September 1, 1910. 
It is designed to meet the needs of the largely increasing 
population of the " Panhandle " district of the state. 




Fig. 83. Southwest Texas State Normal School, San Marcos 



119. Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College. 
This institution, located near Hempstead in Waller county, 
has for its main object the education of colored teachers. 
It was established in 1876 by an act of the fifteen tli legisla- 
ture and is under the management of the board of directors 
of the Agricultural and jNIechanical College. 

120. The College of Industrial Arts for Young Women i 
was established by an act of the twenty-seventh legislature. 

1 Formerly the Girls' Industrial College. 



EDUCATION 



139 



The commission appointed to locate the institution selected 
a tract of seventy acres in the northeast part of Denton, 
which was donated by the citizens of that town together 
with S16,050. The school was opened September 23, 1903. 
" An artesian well six hundred feet deep, just in the rear of 
the [main] building, gives a bounteous supply of the purest 
water." By legislative enactment, the Board of Regents 
are given the necessary powers to establish and maintain a 
first-class industrial institute and colles^e for the education 




Fig. 84. College of Industrial Arts, Dextox 

of white girls in this state in the arts and sciences. The 
general object of this institution is to fit and prepare such 
girls for " the practical industries of the age." 

121. The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. 
The Agricultural and Mechanical College owes its origin 
to an act of Congress approved July 2, 18(32, providing 
that there should be granted to the several states " an 
amount of public land equal to 30,000 acres for each 
Senator and Representative in Congress to which the 
states are respectively entitled by the apportionment 




140 



EDUCATION 



141 



under the Census of 1860." It especially provides that 
the proceeds of the sale of this land shall constitute a per- 
petual fund, the interest of which shall be used for the 
endowment, support, and maintenance of a college where 
the leading studies, including military tactics, shall be those 
related to agriculture and the mechanic arts. November 1, 
1871, the legislature of Texas accepted the trust and re- 
ceived from the government 180,000 acres of land, which 




Fig. bO. A(;kiclltural Building, Agricultural and 
Mechanical College 

was sold for S174,000. The interest at the time of the 
openhig of the college, October 4, 1876, amounted to 
835,000 additional. The institution is located on a tract 
of 2416 acres of land, donated by Brazos county at College 
Station, on the Houston and Texas Central and Interna- 
tional and Great Northern railroads, five miles south of 
P>ryan. The succeeding legislatures since its establishment 
have made liberal appropriations, and it is now excellently 




142 



EDUCATION 



143 



equipped with buildings and apparatus adapted to its spe- 
cial work. Although under a separate management, it is, 
by the constitution, a branch of The University of Texas. 
122. The University of Texas. " The idea of a univer- 
sity for Texas is as old as Texas." In January, 1839, the 
Congress of the Republic gave fifty leagues of public land 
for its support and set apart the ground for its campus in 




Fig. 



The University of Texas, :Medical Department, 
Galveston 



Austin. The state legislature in 1858 added S100,000 
in United States bonds and one section of land out of 
every ten reserved for the use of the state. During the 
Civil War much of the university endowment was turned 
into the general revenue and used to meet the neces- 
sities of the state. The amounts then taken have since, 
in part, been refunded. The legislature in 1881, under 



144 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

the authority of the Constitution of 1876, provided for 
its organization and maintenance and created a Board of 
Regents to which was intrusted its management. By a 
popuhir vote, in September, 1881, the Main University, 
consisting of the College of Arts and the Department of 
Law, to which the departments of -Engineering and Educa- 
tion have since been added, was located at Austin, and the 
Medical Department at Galveston. The Main University 
was formally opened for the reception of students in Sep- 
tember, 1883 ; the Medical Department, in October, 1891. 
The university buildings and equipment are among the 
best in the South, and the high standing of the institution 
is everywhere recognized. 

123. The William M. Rice Institute. The establishment, 
at Houston, of this great institution for the advancement of 
the higher learning, having an endowment of S10,000,000, 
cannot fail to exert a most favorable influence upon the 
educational advancement not only of Texas but of the en- 
tire Southwest. The plan having been carefully thought 
out and the buildings necessary for beginning operations 
erected, the Institute was formally dedicated October 10-12, 
1912, in the presence of scholars representing the leading 
universities of the world. The scope of the Institute in- 
cludes not only the dissemination of knowledge by teaching 
but by original research as well. 

124. Denominational Colleges. Here, as elsewhere in this 
country, the church has taken an active part in the educa- 
tional development of the state. For many years the 
colleges established by the different religious bodies were 
the only representatives of the higher education. Some of 
these institutions began in the days of the republic ; others 
are of a later growth; yet all have been established with 



EDUCATION 145 

a view to the general welfare of the state, — the training 
of intelligent, honest, and patriotic citizens. While some 
of the early institutions have ceased to exist and others 
have been consolidated, the denominational colleges are 
to-day better equipped and stronger than ever before. 

Baylor University (Baptist), the pioneer Texas college, 
was chartered by the republic on Februar}^ 13, 1845. It was 
first located at Independence, Washington county. In 1886 
it was consolidated with Waco University (chartered in 
1861) and removed to its present location at Waco. 

Baylor Female College (Baptist) was also chartered in 
1845. In 1885 it was removed from Independence to 
Belt on. 

Austin College (Presbyterian) was chartered April 5, 
1850. It was first located at Huntsville and later re- 
moved to Sherman. 

Southvestern University (Methodist) was opened at 
Georgetown on October 6, 1873. It is the successor of 
several of the early institutions, — Rutersville, McKenzie, 
Wesleyan, and Soule colleges. 

Tlie Southern Methodist University at Dallas, the build- 
ings of which are now in the process of construction, is 
destined to become the leading educational institution of 
the ^lethodist Episcopal Church South if the plan of its 
founders is successfully accomplished. To that end a large 
endowment fund is now being collected in order that the 
university at the outset may have an adequate financial 
support. 

Of the other colleges of the state, mention should be 
made of the following: the Texas Christian University, 
formerly Add-Ran University (Christian), Ft. Worth; Carr- 
Burdette Christian College (Christian), Sherman ; Trinity 




J^'k;. b\>. A i'AUTiAi. Vi 



:\v OF THE State Institution rou Tin: 
Blind, Austin 




Fio. l»0. I)EAi- A.NL. JJlmi; Ar 



\j.i.M (Texas bcnuoL luu the Deaf), 
Austin 



146 



p:ducation 



147 



University (Presbyterian), Waxahacliie ; Coronal Institute 
(Methodist), San Marcos; Saint Edward's College (founded 
and conducted by members of the Congregation of the 




Fig. *J1. State Insane Asyluai, Austin 

Holy Cross, Roman Catholic), Austhi ; Daniel Baker Col- 
lege (Presbyterian), Brownwood ; Howard Payne College 
(Baptist), Brownwood; Simmons College (Baptist), Abilene; 
Blinn Memorial College (German Methodist), Brenham. 




Fig. 92. Southwestern Insane Asylum, San Antonio 



125. Libraries. Among the institutions of an educa- 
tional value not directly connected with a teaching or 
professional body, tlie public library plays an important 
part. Through the muniticence of Andrew Carnegie, who, 



148 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

upon the fulfillment of certain conditions, donated the 
necessary buildings, public libraries have been established 
in the following places : Abilene, Ballinger, Belton, Brown- 
wood, Bryan, Clarksville, Cleburne, Corsicana, Dallas, El 
Paso, Fort Worth, Greenville, Houston, Jefferson, Laredo, 
Nacogdoches, Pittsburg, San Antonio, Santa Anna, Temple, 
Terrell, Tyler, Waco, and Winnsboro.^ There are also 
public libraries at Galveston and Waxahachie. 

The State Library is provided with quarters in the 
State Capitol at Austin. The library of The University of 
Texas, which is the largest and most complete in the state, 
is also located in Austin. 

126. Eleemosynary Institutions. The eleemosynary insti- 
tutions of the state include both schools and hospitals. The 
Institution for the Blind, the Deaf and Dumb Asylum 
(Texas School for the Deaf), and the Institute for Deaf, 
Dumb, and Blind Colored Youths are located at Austin. 
The State Orphan Home is at Corsicana. All of these 
institutions are educational, wholly or in part. The follow- 
ing are hospitals: the State Insane Asylum at Austin, the 
North Texas Hospital for the Insane at Terrell, the South- 
western Insane Asylum at San Antonio, the Epileptic 
Colony at Abilene. The Confederate Home at Austin is 
both a home and a hospital for needy ex-Confederate 
soldiers. 

127. Penal Institutions. There are three penal institu- 
tions in the state : the house of correction and reformatory 
at Gatesville, the penitentiary at Hunts ville, and the peni- 
tentiary at Rusk. 

^Handbook of Texas Libraries, No. 2. Houston, 1908. 



CHAPTER XIV 



POPULATION 

128. Population. The population of Texas according to 
the Eleventh Census was 2,235,527. In 1900, according 
to the Twelfth Census, it had reached 3,048,710, and 
in 1910, according to the Thirteenth Census, 3,896,542. 

If the states be arranged in the order of their popula-- 
tions, it will be seen that Texas now occupies the fifth 
place ; that in 1900 it occupied the dxtli place ; in 1890, the 
seventh place ; in 1880, the eleventh; in 1870, the nineteenth; 
in 1860, the twenty-third; and in 1850, the tiventy fifth. 

Table showixg the Increase of Population, 1850-1910 



Census Year 


Population 


Increase over Preceding Census 






Xiunhcr 


Per Cent 


1910 


3,896,542 


847,832 


27.8 


1900 


3,048,710 


813,183 


36.4 


1890 


2,235,527 


643,778 


40.4 


1880 


1,591,749 


773,170 


94.5 


1870 


818,579 


214,364 


35.5 


1860 


604,215 


391,623 


184.2 


1850 


212,592 







The total population for each census (1850-1910 in- 
clusive), the numerical increase for each decade, and the 
per cent of increase is shown in the above table. The fig- 
ures there given warrant the prediction of an enormous 
growth within the immediate future. 

149 



150 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The elements of popu- 
- the native white, the 



Their numerical strength 



129. Elements of Population. 

lation in the state are three, 
colored, and the foreign wliite. 
is as follows (1910) : 

Native wliite 2,964,864 

Colored (including Negroes, ('hinese, 

Japanese, Indians, and others) . 691,694 

Foreign white 239,984 

Total .... 3,896,542 

130. Native White Population. Of the native white 
population (amounting to 2,964,864), 2,127,423 were born 
in Texas. The remainder, 837,441, are, of course, natives 
of other states and territories. The states making the 
largest contributions are : 



Tennessee 


. . 126,779 


Louisiana . . 


. . 41,556 


Alabama . . 


. . 109,954 


Illinois . . . 


. . 34,295 


Arkansas . . 


. . 77,793 


Oklahoma . . 


. . 28,420 


Mississippi . 


. . 76,838 


Indiana . . . 


. . 17,642 


Georgia . . 


. . 62,790 


Ohio .... 


. . 16,111 


Missouri . . 


. . 57,182 


North Carolina 


. . 15,178 


Kentucky 


. . 46,944 







Virginia furnished over 13,000 and South Carolina and 
Kansas each over 12,000. 

131. Colored Population. The colored population of the 
state is as follows : 

Negroes 690,049 

Indians 702 

Chinese 595 

Japanese 340 

Undetermined . 8 

691,694 



POPULATION 



151 



The negro population constitutes 17.7 per cent of the 
total population of the state. Its distribution by counties 
is indicated on the accompanynig map. Those areas hav- 



ing a negro population of over 5000 per county are 



setoff 




Fig. 93. Map of Texas showing the Distributiox of the Negro 
Population by Counties 

by a heavy toothed line. Practically speaking, the negro 
is confined to the eastern, or agricultural, portion of the state. 
The following six counties have the largest negro popula- 
tions. For the purpose of comparison the white population 
of each is also given. 



162 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Negroes Whites 

Harris 30,950 84,631 

Dallas 24,355 111,338 

Harrison 23,698 13,544 

Smith 17,246 24,490 

McLennan 17,234 55,991 

Travis 15,473 40,130 

The representation of the remaining colored races is 
too small to be of any special significance at this time. 




Fig. 94. 



Map of Texas showing the Distribution of the Mexican 
Population by Counties 



POPULATION 



153 



132. Foreign-Born Population. The foreign-born popula- 
tion is 239,984. Its chief representatives are as follows : 

Mexicans .... 124,238 

Germans .... 44,917 

Austrians .... 20,566 

English .... 8,463 

The Mexican population occupies for the most part the 
region along the Rio Grande, together with that portion 
of the state lying between the Gulf and a line drawn 



Italians 7190 

Irish 5355 

Swedes 4703 

Canadians .... 3498 




Over 4,000 

Bejtween 2,500 and 3,000 
" 2,000 and 2,500 
" 1,500 and 2,000 



Total 

1,000 and 1,500 Foreign Population 
500 and 1,000 (white) 239,984 

250 and- 500 German PopuMon 



m\ 



W 



w- 



Based upon the Returns 

, of the Thirteenth Census 1910 



Fig. 95. Map of Texas showing the Distribution of the German 
Population by Counties 



154 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

due east from the Great Bend of the Rio Grande to the 
Colorado river. The six counties having the largest 
population of this nationality are : 

El Paso 16,114 Cameron 8617 

Bexar 13,226 Hidalgo 5202 

Webb 10,654 Caldwell 4113 

The German population early established itself in south 
central and southwest Texas, and to-day the larger part of 
the citizens of German birth are found within that area. 
The six counties having the largest German population are : 

Bexar 4423 Fayette 1868 

Harris 2951 Galveston .... 1773 

Washington .... 2256 Dallas 1712 ^ 

The Austrian (chiefly I^ohemian) population is found for 
the most part in the south central portion of tlie state, 
where it lias established itself hi the drainage basins of the 
Brazos and Colorado rivers, beginning with the third tier of 
counties from the coast. The five counties liaving the 
largest Austrian population are : 

Lavaca 2480 McLennan 895 

Fayette 2447 Bell 854 

Williamson .... 1462 

The Swedish population is largely confined to six 
counties : 

Travis ...... 1061 Harris ....'.. 237 

Williamson .... 798 Tarrant 237 

Galveston .... 440 Wharton 234 

1 The figures here given do not represent the entire number of the 
German-speaking people. In addition to the native Germans there are 
numerous descendants of the colonists that settled at New Braunfels, 
Fredericksburg, and elsewhere. 



POPULATION 155 

The English and Irish do not show a tendency to seg- 
regate or form communities by themselves, but, on the 
contrary, are widely distributed throughout tlie general 
population of the state. As may be expected they are 
most numerous in the larger cities, as is shown by the 
f;)llowing table: 

English Irish 

Bexar county 943 600 

San Antonio 838 485 

Harris county 817 565 

Houston 612 458 

Dallas county 712 438 

Dallas 628 369 

Galveston county 608 602 

Galveston / 580 564 

Tarrant county 449 429 

Fort Worth 370 364 

The counties having the largest Italian populations are : 

Harris 1057 Jefferson 478 

Galveston .... 1030 Bexar 470 

Erath 720 Dallas , . . . 396 

Brazos 671 




156 



CHAPTER XV 

THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 

133. (1) San Antonio (96,614),i the county seat of 
Bexar (Bair) county and widely known as the " Cradle of 
Texas Liberty," is situated in the southwestern part of the 
state, on the San Antonio river. Founded by the Spanish 
in 1718, it still retains a distinctive Spanish cast. It is, 
however, in every respect a modern city. Its buildings, 
both public and private, are attractive; its streets and 

The Population of San Antonio, 1870-1910 



Census Year 


Population 


Numerical Increase 


Per Cent of Increase 


1910 


96,614 


43,293 


81.2 


1900 


53,321 


15,648 


41.5 


1890 


37,673 


17,123 


83.3 


1880 


20,550 


8,249 


67.7 


1870 


12,256 







parks well kept ; its transportation facilities excellent ; and 
its business facilities commanding. 

The population of San Antonio for each census (1870 to 
1910 inclusive), the numerical increase and the per cent of 
increase for each decade, is shown in the above table. 



1 The number precedino; each city or town indicates its rank ; the 
number following, its population according to the Thirteenth Census, 
unless otherwise stated. 

157 



158 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



To this enumeration there should be added a floating 
population, now numbering several thousand, consisting of 
tourists and other visitors who temporarily reside in the 
city for health or for pleasure. 

The comparative numerical strength of the chief elements 
of the foreign-born population for 1900 (9348) and 1910 
(17,407) is shown in the following table. It will be seen 
that the Mexicans and Germans are in the ascendency, 
the former now numbering nearly ten thousand, while the 
latter exceed three thousand. 



Table showing the Numerical Strength of the Foreign-Born 
Population of San Antonio, 1900 and 1910 



Mexicans 
Germans 
English . 
Irish . . 
Kussians 
Italians . 
Austrians 
Canadians 
French . 



3288 


9906 


3031 


3398 


723 


838 


473 


485 


17(3 


467 


204 


444 


200 


351 


103 


296 


213 


230 



The public buildings of the city represent the expendi- 
ture of over $1,000,000. They include the Courthouse, 
situated on Main Plaza ; the Federal Building, on the north 
side of Alamo Plaza ; the City Hall, in the center of Mili- 
tary Plaza ; and the Market House and Convention Hall, 
on Haymarket Plaza. There are, in addition, thirty-one 
public-school buildings valued at $925,000. 

Of the four hundred and tAventy-five miles of streets 
within the cori)orate limits, forty are paved, seventy-one mac- 
adamized, and all are kept in an excellent condition. The 




Fig. U7. Cul unioi .^i: and Main Plaza, San Antoxio 
Copyright, 1903 and 1904, by Nic. Tengg. Used by permission 




Fig. 98. Fkmkual r>i;ii.i>iN<i, San Antonio 

Copyright, 1903 aud 190i, by Nic. Tengg. Used by permission 

159 



160 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

city has also constructed a sewer system, the length of which 
in the aggregate is one hundred and sixty-seven miles. 

The striking features of San Antonio, however, are its 
parks and plazas, of which there are twenty-one. Much of 
historic interest centers at Alamo Plaza on account of the 
scenes enacted at and about the Alamo, which faces this 
park. Brackenridge Park, comprising two hundred acres, 
with its natural forest growth, and San Pedro Park, 
contaming fifty acres, are spots of great natural beauty. 

San Antonio river, rising from a number of springs just 
north of the city limits, is a very picturesque stream. So 
tortuous is its course that for thirteen miles it flows within 
the city. Its tributary, San Pedro creek, also meanders 
through the city for its entire length, which is nearly ten 
miles. 

On account of the salubrity of its climate and the excel- 
lence of its water supply (the product of artesian wells), 
San Antonio has become favorably known as a health resort. 

In addition to forty-five private schools and colleges 
which are located here, public schools taught by three 
hundred and fifty teachers, and seventy-two churches 
representing the various religious bodies, are maintained 
for the benefit of the public. Some of the finest church 
buildings face Travis Park. 

Fort Sam Houston, on Government Hill, one of the 
largest military posts in the country, is the headquarters 
of the Department of Texas. Its buildings and equipment 
represent an expenditure of over $7,000,000. 

San Antonio has a large trade with Mexico and with 
southern and western Texas. Its wholesale houses are 
devoted to the needs of an area exceeding in size many of 
the states, while the banking interests are represented by 




Fig. 99. City Hall and Military Plaza, San xVntonio 
Copyright, 1903 and 1904, by Nic. Tengg. Used by permission 




Fjg. 100. View on West Com.mekce Street, San Antonio 

Copyright, 1903 and 1904, by Nic. Tengg. Used by permission 

_101 



162 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

seven national and six state institutions, together with 
several trust and private companies. Its manufacturing 
enterprises, moreover, include three of the largest breweries 
in the South, with over five hundred employees, also sev- 
eral flouring mills, printing houses, binderies, iron works, 
machine shops, cement works, ice factories, marble works, 
candy factories, paper-box factories, etc. 

The railroad facilities of the city are excellent, lines 
radiating in many directions : the International and Great 
Northern to the northeast and southwest ; the Galveston, 
Harrisburg and San Antonio (more widely known as the 
Southern Pacific or the Sunset Route) to the east, south- 
east, and west ; the Missouri, Kansas and Texas to the 
northeast ; the San Antonio and Aransas Pass to the 
northwest and southeast ; and the San Antonio, Uvalde 
and Gulf Railroad to the south and southwest. On the 
other hand, internal communication is maintained by a 
modern and well-equipped electric street-car system having 
a total length of seventy-five miles. 

The greatest interest centers about the missions, of which 
there are several. These buildings, both church and for- 
tress, [)layed an important part in the early Texas strug- 
gles. The mission of San Antc^nio de Valero {da va-Id'ro)^ 
better known as the Alamo, was the scene of the massacre 
of 1836. Here, before the overwhelming force of Santa 
Anna, fell the little band of Texas patriots fighting to 
the last man — Travis and Powie, Ponham and Crockett, 
the bravest of the brave. The Alamo is situated on Alamo 
Plaza and is now the property of the state. 

The mission of La Purissima Concepcion (poo-re'si-md 
con-sep-se-dn'), or First Mission, on the left bank of the 
San Antonio river, was the scene of the conflict between 




4 4i^<-^i. s a 



163 



llU 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



tlie Texans under Colonel James Bowie and Captain J. W. 
Fannin and the Mexican troops in 1835. Before a force 
of ninety -two Texans four hundred Mexicans fled, leaving 
their cannon behind. While but one of the former was 
killed and one wounded, the latter lost sixty killed and 
many wounded. 

The mission of San Jose de Aguayo {san ho-sct' del d- 
liwd'yo), or Second Mission, is situated on the right bank 
of the river, four miles below the city. It is celebrated for 
the exquisite carvings which ornament its front. 

Still further below are the remaining missions : that of 
San Juan de Capistrano {san Ivwan da cdp-es-trd'no), or Third 
^Mission, on the left bank of the river, six miles from the city, 
and that of San Francisco de la Espada (da Id es-pd'dd), or 
Fourth Mission, on the right bank of the river, nine miles 
from the city. In the square of tlie last mentioned the Texas 
army gathered prior to the engagement at Concepcion. 

134. (2) Dallas (92,104), the county seat of Dallas 
county and the largest city in north Texas, is situated on the 
Trinity river, three hundred and fifteen miles northwest 
by north of Galveston. It lies in the most thickly settled 
portion of the state and is widely known for its phenomenal 
groAvth in population and for the excellence of its public 
buildings, hotels, business blocks, churches, and schools. 

The Poi'iiLATiox of Dallas, 1880-1910 



Census Year 


Population 


Numerical Increase 


Per Cent of Increase 


1910 
1900 
1890 

1880 


92,104 

42,638 1 

38,067 

10,358 


49,466 

4,571 

27,709 


116.0 
12.0 

267.5 



Including Oak Cliff, 46,268. 







;• ^^Mlfff ' 


w 




g 






IHV?^L 



- a: 




165 




166 



THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



167 



The County Courthouse, the Pubhc Library, the Adolphus 
Hotel, the new Busch Buildmg, the Federal Buildmg, 
the Young Men's Christian Association Building, the City 
National Bank Building, and the Exchange National Bank 
Building are note- 
worthy. 

The city has 
waterworks, with an 
annual capacity of 
12,217,500,000 gal- 
lons, a sewer sys- 
tem, many miles of 
paved streets, gas, 
and electric lights. 
Located in the fer- 
tile black-soil belt, 
which extends from 
Austin to the Red 
river, it is the 
largest distributing 
point for agricul- 
tural machinery in 
the Southwest. It 
has a large whole- 
sale trade and a 
well-deserved repu 




Fig. 105. The Busch Building, Dallas 
Eighteen stories higli 



tation for the manufacture of harness and saddlery ; indeed, 
it is said that the factories are larger and the general 
business interests greater in tliis direction than in any 
other city in the United States. 

The three hundred and seventy-five manufacturing 
establishments in Dallas, representhig an investment of 



168 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

$26,371,039, give employment to 8716 people. Their sales 
output in 1912 amounted to about $42,000,000. More 
cotton-ginning machinery is manufactured here than else- 
where in America. The Continental Gin Company and the 
Murray Company, manufacturers of cotton-ginning machin- 
ery, are among the largest plants of their kind in this 
country. Other industries include machine shops, boiler 
and tank factories, compresses, cotton-seed-oil mills, a 
paper mill, chemical works, meat-packing establishments, 
a brewery, a cotton mill, brick, lime, and cement works, 
planing mills, flouring mills and elevators, candy fac- 
tories, etc. 

Many large commercial and financial institutions have 
their headquarters here. There are five national banks, 
four state banks, two private banks, and a number of sav- 
ings banks and trust companies. The general offices of the 
Texas and Pacific Railway and of the Missouri, Kansas 
and Texas Railway of Texas are also located here. 

The public schools occupy thirty-three large buildings, 
which, with their equipment, represent an investment of 
$1,378,100. In addition there are forty-four private schools, 
among which are Saint Mary's College (Protestant Episco- 
pal) and the Ursuline Academy (Roman Catholic) for the 
education of young Avomen. There are also three medical 
colleges and seven hospitals, one of the latter, Saint Paul's, 
being under the care of the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul. 

Dallas is also an important railroad center, eight railroads 
radiating in thirteen directions: the Houston and Texas 
Central to the north and to the south ; the Texas and 
Pacific to the east and to the west ; the IMissouri, Kansas 
and Texas to the northeast, south, and northwest ; the Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe to the northeast and southwest ; 




Fig. 



2712 3 
106. Map of the Dallas-Eort Worth Region, showing 



THE Various Railroads which converge at Dallas and 
Fort Worth 

(Diameter of the circle, 150 miles) • 

1. Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 2. International and Great Northern. 
3. Saint Louis Southwestern. 3 a. Trinity and Brazos Valley. 4. Houston 
and Texas Central. 4rt. Trinity and Brazos Valley. ."). Saint Louis South- 
western. 6. Texas and New Orleans. 7. Texas and Pacitic. 8, 9. Lines of 
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 10, 11. Saint Louis Southwestern and 
Texas Midland. 12. Saint Louis Southwestern. 13. Gulf, Colorado and 
Santa Fe'. 14. Texas and Pacific. 1."). Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 16. Mis- 
souri, Kansas and Texas : Houston and Texas Central : and Texas and 
Pacific. 17. Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 18. Gulf, Colorado and Santa 
Fe. 19. Missouri, Kansas and Texas. 20. Fort Worth and Denver City ; 
and Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf. 21. Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf; 
and Gulf, Texas and Western. 22. Weatherford, Mineral Wells and 
Northwestern. 23. Texas and Pacific. 24. Fort Worth and Rio Grande. 
25. Texas Central. 26. Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe. 27. Texas Central 

169 



170 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

the Saint Louis Southwestern ('' Cotton Belt ") to the north- 
east ; the Texas and New Orleans to the southeast ; the 
Chicago, Rock Island and (julf to the west ; and the Trinity 
and Brazos Valley to the southeast. " Frisco " trains also 
enter the city over other lines. Interurban electric railways 
connect Dallas with Fort Worth, McKinney, Slierman, Den- 
ison, Waxahachie, Waco and other points, and within the 
city there are seventy-seven miles of electric street railroad. 

In 1910 the foreign-born white population of the city 
amounted to 5219, of whom 1434 were Germans. 

135. (3) Houston (78,800), the county seat of Harris 
county, is situated on Buffalo bayou, at the head of steam 
navigation. Although fifty miles northwest of Galveston, 
it has the advantao-e of direct Avater communication with 

o 

the Gulf. It is the greatest railroad center in the state. 
Of the seventeen railroads entering the city, two, the Gal- 
veston, Harrisburg and San Antonio and the Texas and 
New Orleans, are links in a transcontinental system, the 
Southern Pacific. Of the other railways, the Houston, 
East and West Texas and the International and Great 
Northern afford communication with the northeast and 
north; the Houston and Texas Central and the Missouri, 
Kansas and Texas with the west, northwest, and north ; 
the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe with the northwest, north, 
and south ; the San Antonio and Aransas Pass with the 
west and southwest ; and the Trinity and Brazos Valley 
with the north and northwest. Besides these there are 
several lines, including an interurban, extending to Galves- 
ton and the coast country. 

Houston has many modern buildings, forty of six stories 
or over, and its business blocks and stores, especially its 
wholesale houses, are indicative of its commercial importance. 




17 13 I 

Fig. 107. I^Iap showing Houston as a Railroad Center 
(Diameter of the circle, 100 miles) 
Houston and Brazos Valley. 2. Onl(,Colova.Joan^ Santa Fe-Galve^ 

?S!cS:^r,]^:;:i^./o:=^a^^^^ 

and Texas Central. 11. Gnlf, ^•'^»';-\; ™'',^'"' :. s^ Antonio and 
Kansas and Texas. l-\f ,""^ ^*'' <f """;,!', a San ^ntonio(Sonthem 

ville and Mexico 



171 



172 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



The new Rice Hotel, an eighteen-story structure, is one of 
the finest buildings in the South (Fig. 108). Ninety miles 
of the principal streets have been paved with vitrified brick 
or asphalt, not to mention the miles of streets and road- 
ways that have 
been macad- 
amized. An 
extensive sys- 
tem of sewers, 
both storm and 
sanitary, has 
also been con- 
structed, which 
adds much to 
the comfort and 
health of the 
citizens. 

Viewed from 
an educational 
standpoint, 
II o u s t o n is 
favored. In 
1912 it had 
twenty-six pub- 
lic school build- 
ings with a 
force of three 
hundred and forty-three teachers, a Carnegie Library, and 
many private institutions, including the recently established 
Rice Institute (see p. 144). Of the forty or more churches, 
the building of the First Presbyterian congregation is the 
largest. Christ Churcli, with its parish house and rectory, on 




Fig. 108. The Rice Hotel, Houston 
Eighteen stories liigli and erected at a cost of $3,000,000 



THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



173 



Texas avenue should be mentioned, and also the Church 
of the Annunciation (Roman Catholic). 

This city is one of the largest cotton markets in the world, 
handling over 3,000,000 bales annually. It is also the seat 
of the East Texas lumber trade and of the sugar and rice 
industries of the state. Its financial facilities are excellent, 







i 


NTf . IS* *m'' 


^•mw 


^-^-~^^,--;:- „^ 





Fig. 109. Houston High-School Building 



there being thirteen banks and trust companies, of which six 
are national. Since the discovery of oil in the Beaumont 
region all forms of business have been greatly stimulated. 
Among the manufacturing establishments located here are 
the shops of three railroads, six cotton compresses, six 
cotton-seed-oil mills, two breweries, a meat-packing house, 
two car-wheel works, five rice mills, an oil refinery, a flour 



174 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



mill, an ice factory, lumber mills, and numerous other 
plants. The city has waterworks, electric lights and gas, 
and sixty -six miles of electric street railway. Within the 
last few years it has greatly prospered, and its growth has 
been very rapid. 

136. (4) Fort Worth (73,312), the county seat of Tar- 
rant county, is situated on the Trinity river, thirty-two miles 




Fig. 110. Tarkaxt Cointy Coukthouse, Fort Worth 

west of Dallas. It is one of the most enterprising cities in 
the state, with many fine business blocks and residences. 
Among its noteworthy buildings may be mentioned the 
County Courthouse, the Federal Building, the Texas and 
Pacific Passenger Station, and the Carnegie Library. 

This city is another large railroad center, no less than 
thirteen lines converging here. The Texas and Pacific, 



THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



175 



extending from New Orleans to El Paso, is joined at this 
point by its transcontinental branch from Texarkana via 
Paris, Sherman, and Whitesboro. The Fort Worth and 
Denver City crosses the Panhandle and, with the Colorado 
Southern, forms a through line to Denver. The Chicago, 
Rock Island and Cjulf, in connection with the Chicago, Rock 
Island and Pacific, reaches Oklahoma and the many points 




Fig. 111. Texas and Pacific Passenger Station, Fort Worth 

on the Rock Island system. The Gulf, Colorado and Santa 
¥6, from Galveston, passes through the city and, continu- 
ing northward, connects with the great network of railroads 
in Kansas and other western states. The jNIissouri, Kansas 
and Texas, from Galveston and San Antonio via Waco and 
Fort Wortli, extends to Denison, thence to Okhdioma and 
the states to the northeast. The Saint Louis Southwestern 



176 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



("Cotton Belt") extends in a general eastern direction to 
Texarkana, thence to Saint Louis. The Fort Worth Divi- 
sion of the International and Great Northern extends in a 
southeastern direction to Houston. The Fort Worth and 
Rio Grande, building in a southwest direction, has now 

reached Menard. 
The " Frisco " also 
enters the city from 
Sherman, and the 
Houston and Texas 
Central by means 
of a branch from 
Garrett. 

Among the indus- 
trial establishments 
of Fort Worth are 
found the shops of 
several railroads, 
eighteen grain eleva- 
tors having a total 
storage capacity of 
over 3,000,000 bush- 
els, two flour mills 
with a combined 
capacity of 2500 bar- 
rels daily, twelve ice 
factories, two large oil refineries, a rolling mill, two cotton 
compresses, two cotton-seed-oil mills, six silo factories, a 
brewery, etc. Its meat-packing houses and stock yards rank 
next to those of Kansas City. Two establishments have a 
total daily capacity of 2600 cattle, a like number each of 
calves and sheep, and 5500 hogs. A large wholesale trade 




Fig. 112. Street Scene, Fort Worth 

AVest Seventh Street from Main Street, 
looking; west 




Fig. 118. C'Ai;.NL(.n: Plblu Liukauv, Fuut ^^'uKTlI 




Fig. 114. City Hai.l, Fort Worth 
177 



178 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

in groceries, dry goods, drugs, hardware, crockery, furniture, 
and lumber is centered here. Fort Worth being a distribut- 
ing point for the Panhandle country. The banking inter- 
ests include nine national banks and six state banks and 
trust companies. 

The city has many churches, a iine system of public 
schools with twenty-seven buildings, a university under 
the auspices of the Christian Church, a Polytechnic College 
under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
South, a Baptist theological seminary, and many private 
institutions. There are electric street railways, including 
interurban lines to Dallas and Cleburne, waterworks, 
electric-light and natural-gas plants, paved and graded 
streets, all of wdiich indicate energ}^ and thrift on the part 
of its citizens. 

137. (5) El Paso (39,279), the county seat of El Paso 
county, is situated on the left bank of the Rio Grande, in 
the extreme western part of the state, opposite the Mexican 
city of Ciuclad Juarez (se-oo-ddd' hwd' ras). The American 
settlement that sprung up here after the INIexican War was 
first known as Franklin, but later, about 1860, its name 
was changed to El Paso. Where in 1880 there stood a 
small village with only 736 inhabitants there is now a 
modern well-built city with many excellent public build- 
ings, churches, and schools. 

On account of its altitude, 3720 feet above the level of 
the sea, El Paso has justly become famous as a health 
resort. It is a port of entry, and in the magnificent Federal 
Building are found the offices of the Custom House, the 
Post Office, and the United States Court rooms. The 
imports received here, especially ores and bullion, are very 
large. Among other articles of import are liides, cattle, 




Fig. 115. A Part of El Paso. Mount Fkaxklix in the 
Background 

From the El Paso Album, by permission. Copyrijiht, 1903 




Fig. 116. El Paso Countv Courtiiou.se, El Paso 

From the El Paso Album, by permission. Copyright, 1903 
179 



180 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



and tropical fruits. The exports, on the other hand, are 
largely manufactured goods, chiefly machinery. 

The commercial jjrosperity of El Paso is for the most 
part due to the mineral wealth tributary to the city. The 
smelting works, three miles west of town, are among the 
largest in the world, employing from 1200 to 1500 men. 




I'lo. 117, CiTv Hall, El Paso 
From the El Paso Album, by permission. Copyright, 1903 



Ores are shipped to these works from various parts of 
Mexico, New Mexico, and Arizona. East of town there is a 
smaller smelter belonging to the Federal Copper Company. 
The city has four national banks, five bank and trust 
companies, gas, water, and electric-light plants, a sewer 
system, thirty-five miles of electric street railway, twenty- 
two miles of paved streets, public and private hospitals, a 
public library, a Y.M.C.A. building, a number of large 



THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



181 



wholesale and jobbing houses, foundries and machine shops, 
harness and saddlery factories, a carriage and wagon fac- 
tory, ice factories, refrigerator plants, cigar factories, and 
stock yards. 

The public school system is one of the best in the state. 
In the ten ward schools provision is made for American, 




Fig. 118. Ax El Paso Smelter 
From the El Paso Album, by permission. Copyright, 1903 

Mexican, and negro pupils. The high school has a thor- 
oughly modern building and is well furnished and equipped. 
Hotel Dieu is an excellent hospital under the management 
of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. 

El Paso has eight railroads. The Galveston, Harrisburg 
and San Antonio Railroad from the east and the Southern 
Pacific from the west, links in the transcontinental " Sun- 
set Route," join here. This city is the western terminus 



182 THE gf:ography of texAs 

of the Texas and Pacific Ilailway and the northern terminus 
of the Mexican Central. A branch of the Santa Fe extends 
nortliward to Albuquerque, and by means of the El Paso 
and Southwestern system connection is made with the Rock 
Island system at Tucumcari, New Mexico. The construc- 
tion of the Rio Grande, Sierra Madre and Pacific Railway, 
now known as the Mexico-Northwestern Railway, has 
opened up important territory to the southwest in INIex- 
ico, and the El Paso Southwestern Railroad, the " Bisbee " 
line, affords direct communication with the rich mining 
regions of New Mexico, Arizona, and the Republic. 

On account of the aridity of the western portion of 
Texas, agriculture is impossible without irrigation. In the 
valley of tlie Rio Grande, both above and below El Paso, 
water may be obtained either directly from the river or 
from wells which tap an inexhaustible underflow. In this 
region there are many excellent farms and valuable orchards, 
gardens, and vineyards. 

138. (6) Galveston (36,981), the principal seaport of 
Texas, is situated at the northeast extremity of the island 
of the same name, fifty-one miles southeast of Houston. 
North of the city lies Galveston bay, the entrance to which 
has been greatly improved by the construction of jetties. 
The shifting sands and bars having been removed, deep- 
Avater ships can now be brought directly to the wharfs for 
loading and unloading. Since the destructive storm of 
September 8, 1900, the shipping facilities along the water 
front have been much increased, and the export and import 
trade is in a better condition than at any previous time in the 
history of the city. Galveston is already famous for its im- 
mense cotton shipments, Avhich amounted in 1912 to 4,294,- 
290 bales, valued at $264,493,809. Extensive arrangements 




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bia 




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I—I m 






183 



184 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

have been made for the shipment and storage of grain, in 
1913 the total elevator capacity being 5,000,000 bushels. 
During 1912 over 8,000,000 bushels of wheat were handled, 
representing a value of over $8,075,275. In addition to 
the cotton by-products, — such as cotton-seed oil, oil cake, 
and meal, — logs, staves, and lumber of various kinds, and 




Fig. 120. Building the Galveston Sea Wall 

The granite riprap for protection on the Gulf side is shown in the fore- 
ground. To the right are seen the timber molds for the concrete 

live stock are exported, the latter chiefly to Cuba. Further- 
more, imported goods are received here not only for the 
cities of the Southwest and the Middle West but for Mexico 
as well. That the importance of Galveston as a Gulf port 
may be fully realized, attention is called to the fact that 
181,122 loaded cars were handled in the yards of the Gal- 
veston Wharf Company in 1912. 




Ih.. \2\. The Galvksk.v Skv \\'\i,( 
A completed section after the mold had been removed 




Fig. 122. The Galvestox Sea Wall 

This view is from the top of the Avail looking west. The riprap is shown 
on the left. Within the wall, on the right, the grade is to be raised by 
a filling of sand 

185 



186 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Fifty-six lines of steamships, chiefly European, have 
estabhshed saihngs from this point, and several others 
are concerned in its foreign carrying trade. An excellent 
service is also maintained with New York. 

Seven lines of railroad now enter the city: namely, the 
Galveston, Houston and Henderson ; the International and 
(Ireat Northern; the Missouri, Kansas and Texas; the Gulf, 




Fig. 123. Galveston looking west from the Coi rtiiouse 
The building in the center is the Ball High School 



Colorado and Santa Fe; the Galveston, Harrisburg and 
San Antonio (Southern Pacific), from Houston via West 
Laporte on the bay ; the Trinity and Brazos Valley ; and 
the "Frisco." The Gulf and Interstate Railway from Beau- 
mont to Port Bolivar connects with Galveston by means 
of a ferry transfer. 

Since the storm in 1900 building has been actively car- 
ried on and public improvements have been undertaken 
which will render the repetition of the great tidal disaster 



THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF Ti:XAS 187 

impossible. An immense sea wall 17 feet high, 16 feet wide 
at the base, and 17,593 feet long is now completed. The wall 
itself is of concrete and rests upon piling driven to the depth 
of 40 feet. On the front, or exposed, side it is protected 
by a riprap of large granite blocks brought from Granite 
mountain in Burnet county. On the inner side the grade is 
raised by a filling of sand, thus complethig an effectual bar- 
rier to further encroachments of the sea. For this work a bond 
issue of $1,500,000 was authorized. The city is connected 
with the mainland by a causeway costing over $2,000,000. 

Galveston has a large wholesale trade in dry goods, gro- 
ceries, and clothing. Its public schools, especially the Ball 
High School, have long been known for their excellence. 
The Medical Department of the State University is located 
here (see Fig. 88), also the John, Sealy Hospital and Saint 
Mary's Infirmary, tiie latter under the care of the Sisters 
of the Incarnate Word. The city is governed by a board 
of five commissioners elected by the qualified voters. It 
has thirty-two churches, thirty-seven and a half miles of 
street railway, two national banks, two state banks, several 
private banks and three trust companies, thirty factories of 
various kinds, four ice plants, and many industrial estab- 
lishments essential to a large seaport. 

139. (7) Austin (29,800), the county seat of Travis 
county and since 1839 the capital of Texas, is beautifully 
located on the Colorado river, eighty-one miles northeast 
of San Antonio. It is situated at the foot of the I>alcones 
scarp, just below the canyon portion of tlie Colorado valley. 
Its site is somewhat irregular, being traversed by Shoal 
creek on the west and by Waller creek on the east. The 
original limits of the city have long since been outgrown, 
and it has now spread to the north and east and even to 



Fig. 124. General (State) Land Office from Capitol 
Grounds, Austin 



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ilBL^IIHB&.'..T' 


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MiHiiiifci^tf AmmBM 


I^IHB 


^^^^^^^^^^ ■ ■ ■ • 1 " 




i^mQw^ 


^^^^^^^^i»a.i 


^^^nH^PPTT* ■^■■■H 


■ 


'^^^H'^tlti A 


— Biij^— 


Ll^ 


^■KMiAH 


■Kn'MII 



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Fig. 125. Street Scene, Austin 

Congress Avenue, looking north from Fourth Street. State Capitol 
in the distance 



188 



THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 



189 



the south across the river. The State Capitol (see frontis- 
piece) occupies a commanding position on Capitol Hill, 
and its dome, surmounted by the Goddess of Liberty 
holding aloft the " lone star," is visible for miles. This 
magnificent edifice is built of red granite from Burnet 
county. It contains the offices of the governor and of 
the various officials who conduct the business of the state ; 



f 



jifk-wl.'i:i- 



'■iz-4:^ 






,*^*i3P^ffll 



■:Mm^ 



Fig. 126. Seton Ixfirmary, Austin 



This large and well-equipped hospital is conducted by the Sisters of 
Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul 

the rooms of the Supreme Court; of the Court of Civil 
Appeals; and of the Railroad Commission; the State 
Library; and the halls of the two branches of the legis- 
lature, — the Senate and the House of Representatives. 
The General Land Office occupies a building at the south- 
east corner of the Capitol grounds. Half a mile north of 
the Capitol are the campus and buildings of The I^niversity 
of Texas (see Fig. 87), the largest educational institution 



190 THE GEOGKArilY OF TEXAS 

ill the state. The Lunatic Asykim, the Institute for the 
Blind, the Deaf and Dumb Asykini, and the Institute for 
Deaf, Dumb, and Blmd Colored Youths are all located in 
Austin. The city has excellent schools, public and private. 
Saint Mary's Academj^ for girls and Saint Edward's College 
for boys and young men, the latter three miles south of the 
city, are well-known Catholic institutions. There are also 
two colleges for the training of colored students. Austin 
has many churches, a theological seminary under the aus- 
pices of the Presbyterians, three hospitals, electric street 
cars, waterworks, electric lights, and gas. That it is largely 
a residential city is shown by its numerous and attractive 
homes. Among its industrial plants may be mentioned three 
ice factories, two large cotton compresses, a cotton-seed-oil 
mill, a flour mill, a cannery, marble works, a saddlery and 
harness manufactory, and two large printing and publish- 
ing houses. Other business interests are represented by 
several wholesale houses dealing in groceries, hardware, 
dry goods, and notions, and by three national banks, a 
state bank, and a trust company. 

The main line of the International and Great Northern 
Railroad, from Laredo on the Mexican frontier, passes 
through the city, also the Austin branch of the Houston 
and Texas Central Railroad, from Hempstead on the main 
line to Llano. An extension of the Missouri, Kansas and 
Texas Railway from Granger affords another desirable out- 
let, both to the north and to the south. 

140. (8) Waco (2(),425), the county seat of McLennan 
county, is situated on both banks of the Brazos, near the 
mouth of Bosque river, eighty-nine miles south of Fort 
Worth. Surrounded by a fertile farming land, it is one of 
the most prosperous cities in the state. It is well built and 



THE rRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 191 

covers an area of about four square miles. In addition to its 
importance as a large inland cotton market, it maintains an 
extensive trade with other parts of the state, as is shown by 
the number and character of its wholesale houses dealing in 
groceries, hardware, drugs, boots and shoes, machinery and 
farming implements, saddlery, etc. Among the industrial 
plants of the city are cotton compresses, cotton-seed-oil mills, 
a large cotton and woolen mill, flour and feed mills, grain 
elevators, ice factories, packing houses, planing mills, iron 
foundries, boiler and machine works, and a number of 
smaller manufactories. The business interests centered here 
are sufficient to maintain five national banks, tliree state 
banks, a savings bank, and several other financial institutions. 

Waco has many excellent buildings, of which the new 
Amicable Life Building, the Courthouse, the Federal and 
the Provident buildings, and the City Hall are noteworthy 
examples. Churches and schools abound; indeed, so numer- 
ous are the latter that Waco is often called "the Athens of 
Texas." Of the higher institutions of learning mention 
may be made of Baylor University (Baptist), the oldest col- 
lege in the state ; Saint Basil's College ; the Academy of 
the Sacred Heart; and Paul Quinn College for negroes. 
The public schools are excellent and well equipped. 

The city water supply is derived in part from a remark- 
able series of artesian wells and in part from tubular Avells 
sunk in the land bordering the Brazos river. 

As at Dallas and Fort Worth, railroads radiate from the 
city in many directions : the Missouri, Kansas and Texas 
to the north and south ; branches of the International and 
Great Northern and of the Houston and Texas Central to 
the east and southeast, respectively ; the Saint Louis South- 
western ("Cotton Belt") to the northeast and southwest; 



192 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

the San Antonio and Aransas Pass to the south ; and the 
Texas Central to the northwest. The city has an excellent 
electric street-car service, and is lighted by both electricity 
and gas. 

141. (9) Beaumont (20,640), the county seat of Jefferson 
county, is situated on the Neches river, at the head of tide- 
water navigation, thirty miles from the Gulf of Mexico and 
eighty-four miles north of east from Houston. For many 
years it was the center of the East Texas timber trade, 
and from this point large shipments of pme and cypress are 
still made. Since 1900 there has been a large increase in 
the population on account of the extraordinary discoveries 
of oil within a few miles of the city. As to railroads Beau- 
mont is greatly favored. The main line of the Texas and 
New Orleans Railroad, forming a part of the great South- 
ern Pacific transcontinental route from New Orleans to 
San Francisco, passes through the city. A branch of this 
road extends southeast to Sabine and anotlier northwest 
to Dallas. The Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway (Kan- 
sas City Southern) affords northern connections via Shreve- 
port, Texarkana, and Kansas City, also a Gulf connection 
at Port Arthur. The Gulf and Interstate Railway is a 
direct line from Beaumont to Galveston ; the Beaumont, 
Sour Lake and Western (New Orleans, Texas and Mexico), 
a "Frisco" line, also gives access to the coast country, 
and an eastern extension reaches New Orleans ; while the 
Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City Railway furnishes con- 
nections with the Santa Fe system. 

From a business standpoint the city is very active. It 
has three national banks and a bank and trust company. 
Among its industries are those concerned with the prepara- 
tion of lumber and its products, such as sawmills, shingle 



THE PRINCIPAL CITIES OF TEXAS 193 

mills, planing mills, and other woodworking plants, and a 
very large creosoting establishment. There are also boiler 
works, iron works, tank factories, rice mills, ice factories, 
brickyards, an electric-light plant, twelve miles of electric 
railway, etc. The business blocks are, for the most part, 
modern structures especially erected to meet the needs of 
a growing city. Of other buildings, mention may be made 
of the Post Office, the High School, the Courthouse, and 
the new passenger station of the Texas and New Orleans 
Railroad. There are nine public schools, and the munici- 
pal improvements include a sewerage system and paved 
streets. The difficulties of securing wholesome water have 
now been overcome by the construction of an adequate 
waterworks plant. 



CHAPTER XVr 

CITIES AND TOWNS HAVING BETWEEN TEN AND 
FIFTEEN THOUSAND INHABITANTS 

142. (10) Laredo (14,855) is located on the Rio Grande, 
opposite the Mexican town of Nneva Laredo, one hundred 
and fifty-three miles southwest of San Antonio. It is the 
county seat of Webb county and is an important business 
center. The International and Great Northern Railroad con- 
nects here with the National Railroad of Mexico, forming a 
through line to the city of Mexico. The Rio Grande and 
Eagle Pass Railway extends in a northwest direction thirty 
miles to the Santo Tomas coal field, and the Texas-jNIexican 
Railway affords communication with Corpus Christi on the 
Gulf coast. 

Like El Paso and Eagle Pass, Laredo serves as a gate- 
way to the Mexican republic, hence it is often called the 
" Gate City." It has two national banks, a state bank and 
trust company, street cars, six churches, and both public 
and private schools. Among the latter is a seminary for 
Mexican girls, in connection with which there is also a 
military school for boys. These institutions are under tlie 
auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The 
industrial establishments of Laredo include the extensive 
shops of the National Railroad of Mexico and several large 
brickmaking plants. 

A considerable business is transacted with Mexico, es- 
pecially in the line of hardware. The city is a shipping 

194 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 195 

point for liides and wool. Two bridges span the Rio Grande 
at this point, one exclusively for the railroad and the other 
for wagons and foot passengers. The excellent onions raised 
on the irrigated lands in this vicinity have acquired more 
than a local reputation, and other vegetables thrive when 
supplied with a sufficient amount of moisture. 

143. (11) Denison (13,632), three miles south of Red 
river and nine miles north of Sherman, is an important 
railroad town. It originated with the Missouri, Kansas 
and Texas Railway and is the focal point of the " Katy " 
system in Texas. It is also the northern terminus of the 
Houston and Texas Central Railroad. The Saint Louis, 
San Francisco and Texas, the Missouri, Oklahoma and 
Gulf, and the Texas and Pacific railways afford many val- 
uable connections, especially to the north, northeast, east, 
and southwest. Among the industries of the town are the 
shops of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, said to 
be the largest in the state, employing several hundred men, 
a large cotton-seed-oil mill, a compress, several gins, a large 
flour mill, two planing mills, an ice factory, three storage 
plants, brickyards, cattle pens, and stock yards. 

Denison has two national and two state banks, wholesale 
groceries, waterworks, a sewerage system, street cars, elec- 
tric lights, etc. There are ten churches, seven ward schools, 
a high school, and several private schools. Among the latter 
is Saint Xavier's Convent. As has been remarked, "the 
city is very advantageously situated " ; the coal fields of 
Oklahoma are close at hand, the adjacent country is well 
adapted to diversified farming and fruit growing, and timber 
for various purposes is easily obtained. 

144. (12) Sherman (12,412), the county seat of Grayson 
county, lies sixty -four miles north of Dallas and nine miles 



196 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

south of Denison, with which it is connected by both steam 
and electric railways. In addition to the railroad facili- 
ties enjoyed by the latter, namely, those afforded by the 
^Missouri, Kansas and Texas, the Houston and Texas Cen- 
tral, the Saint Louis, San Francisco and Texas, and the 
Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf railways, Sherman is reached 
by the transcontinental division of the Texas and Pacific, 
and the Saint Louis Southwestern ("Cotton Belt"). An 
interurban line, the Texas Traction Company, affords direct 
connection with Dallas. 

A large amount of business is centered here. Among 
the commercial and industrial enterprises of the city are 
two state banks and one national bank, large wholesale gro- 
cery and hardware establishments, lumber yards, foundries, 
a bag factory, the largest cotton-seed-oil mill in the world, 
a cotton compress, four flour mills with a total annual out- 
put of over 400,000 barrels, planing mills, an ice factory 
and cold-storage plant, two large nurseries, and a brickyard. 

Sherman is widely known for its educational institutions. 
In addition to its public schools, which are well conducted, 
Austin College (Presbyterian), North Texas Female Col- 
lege, Carr-Burdette Christian College, and Saint Joseph's 
Academy (Roman Catholic) are located here. 

The city has municipal Avaterworks supplied from arte- 
sian wells, fifteen miles of paved streets, and over twenty 
miles of sewer mains. 

145. (13) Marshall (11,452), the county seat of Harrison 
county, lies at the junction of two lines of the Texas and 
Pacific railway, that from Texarkana and that from New 
Orleans, which unitmg here form a through route to Dal- 
las, Fort Worth, and the West. The JNIarshall and East 
Texas Railway extends in a northwestern direction from 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 197 

this point, via Gilmer on the Saint Louis Southwestern 
Railway, to Winnsboro on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas 
Railway, and in a southeast direction to Elysian Fields. 

Marshall has two national banks, two state banks, seven 
public schools, the extensive car and repair shops and the 
hospital of the Texas and Pacific Railway, a car-wheel 
foundry, a compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, two sawmills 
and a planing mill, an ice factory, waterworks, street cars, 
an electric-light plant, and a cannery. Situated within the 
East Texas lumber region, it is an important shipping point 
for the numerous sawmills in its vicinity. Bishop College 
and Wiley College, two large institutions for the education 
of colored people, are located here. Hynson's Iron ]Moun- 
tain Springs, six miles to the west, and Rosborough Springs, 
nine miles to the south, are well-known resorts. 

14.6. (14) Paris (11,269), the county seat of Lamar county, 
lies fifteen miles south of Red river and sixty-four miles 
east of Sherman. The region to the south and w^est, as 
well as that along Red river, is exceptionally rich and pro- 
duces large crops of cotton and corn. The town is an 
important business center. It is the southern terminus of 
a branch of the " Frisco " system, by wliich direct connec- 
tion is made with Saint Louis and other northern points. 
It is also the northern ternunus of the Texas Midland, 
(a railroad extending in a southwest direction to Ennis), of 
a branch of the Santa Fe from Cleburne, and of the Paris 
and iNlount Pleasant Railroad. The Texas and Pacific 
Railway affords east and west connections. 

Paris has three national and two state banks, a Federal 
Building, seventeen churches, three hospitals, five miles of 
paved streets, twenty miles of cement sidewalks, twelve miles 
of sewers, a cotton compress, two gins, a flouring mill, two 



198 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

cotton-seed-oil mills, a planing mill, an ice factory, water- 
works, gas works, electric lights, and electric street-car 
service. It has also a very efficient system of public schools, 
with eight buildings, and is the seat of Mary Connor 
Female College. 

147. (15) Temple (10,993) is situated in the northeast 
quarter of Bell county, at the crossing of the Gulf, Colo- 
rado and Santa Fe and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas 
railways, ninety -nine miles south of Cleburne and one hun- 
dred and twenty-eight miles south of Fort Worth. The 
town is surrounded by black land of great richness, and 
large quantities of cotton and grain are marketed there. 
It has two national banks, two state banks, and a trust 
company, three cotton compresses, two cotton-seed-oil mills 
which do a flourishing business, the repair shops and hospital 
of the Santa Fe, waterworks, an ice factory, an electric-light 
plant, a flour mill, two wholesale groceries, seven public 
schools, and the King's Daughters Hospital. 

148. (16) Brownsville (10,517), the most southern city 
in the state, is built on the left bank of the Rio Grande, 
opposite Matamoras, Mexico. It is the county seat of 
Cameron county and enjoys an extensive trade with the 
neighboring Republic. It is also the southern terminus of 
the Saint Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway, a Gulf 
coast line, and the western terminus of the Rio Grande 
Railroad, a short line running to Point Isabel. The city 
has two national banks, a state bank and trust company, a 
Courthouse, a Federal Building, a large rice mill, a sugar 
mill, several wholesale houses, and an ice factory. On 
the irrigated lands in its vicinity rice, alfalfa, and vege- 
tables are successfully grown. Steam navigation on the 
river is limited. 



fc 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 199 

149. (17) Palestine (10,482), the county seat of Anderson 
county, is a prosi)erous town on tlie International and Great 
Northern Railroad, at the junction of its line from Laredo 
on the Mexican frontier with that from Galveston on the 
Gulf. It is also the western terminus of the Texas State 
Railroad, a short Ime extending to Rusk, and has tAvo 
national and two state banks, three loan companies, a fine 
Young ]\Ien's Christian Association Building, a compress, 
a cotton-seed-oil mill, waterworks, and electric lights. The 
shops and hospital of the International and Great Northern 
Railroad are located here. The surrounding country is 
well adapted to agriculture and fruit growing. 

At the saline, six miles west of Palestine, rock salt has 
been encountered by boring, and a large salt-manufacturing 
plant has been established. 

150. (18) Tyler (10,400), the county seat of Smith county, 
is an important railroad town seventy-five miles northeast 
of Corsicana. Here are located the general offices, shops, 
and hospital of the Saint Louis Southwestern Railway of 
Texas (" Cotton Belt "). A branch of the International 
and Great Northern Railroad also passes through this place, 
affording connection with the main line at Troup and with 
the Texas and Pacific at ^lineola. 

Tyler has of recent years become well known for its large 
shipments of fine fruits. It has two national and two 
state banks, a cannery, an ice plant, waterworks, a sewer- 
age system, an electric-light plant, a compress, an oil mill, 
a very large box and crate factory, and a sawmill. It also 
has a good system of public schools and many churches. 

151. (19) Cleburne (10,364), the county seat of Johnson 
county, is situated on the Gulf, Colorado and Sante Fe 
Railway, twenty-nine miles south of Fort Worth. The 



200 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

main line of this road, from Galveston, Houston, and 
Temple to Purcell in Oklahoma, via Fort Worth, is 
here joined by the branch from Paris via Dallas and that 
from Weatherford. Cleburne is also connected with the 
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway at Egan by a tap of 
ten miles, and is a station on the Trinity and Brazos Valley 
Railroad. It has two national banks and a state bank, 
and, lying in the midst of a rich farming country, is an 
important point of shipment and trade. Among its indus- 
tries are the extensive shops of the Santa Fe, a compress, 
two cotton-seed-oil mills, a flour mill, and elevators. The 
city has waterworks, electric lights, eight miles of street 
railroad, a Carnegie Library, many churches, and excellent 
public schools. Saint Joseph's Academy (Roman Catholic), 
a school for girls, is located here. 

152. (20) San Angelo (10,321), the county seat of Tom 
Green county, is located near the junction of the North and 
Middle forks of the Concho river, two hundred and twenty- 
seven miles west of Temple. It is served by the Kansas 
City, Mexico and Orient Railway, the Concho, San Saba and 
Llano Valley Railroad, is the terminus of a branch of the 
Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, and is the distribut- 
ing and shipping point for a large territory. Its main in- 
dustries are those connected with stock raising and wool 
growing, but in the vicmity of the rivers there is much irri- 
gated farming, and vegetables, especially celery, are suc- 
cessfully grown. Tlie town has a good Courthouse, three 
national banks, a state bank, a trust company, public and 
private schools, waterworks, an electric-light plant, an ice 
factory, several wholesale houses, and a carriage factory. 
A telephone system connecting the various ranches has its 
headquarters here. 



CHAPTER XVII 

CITIES AND TOWNS HAVING BETWEEN FIVE AND TEN 
THOUSAND INHABITANTS 

153. (21) Amarillo (9957), the "metropolis" of the Pan- 
handle country, and the county seat of Potter county, is 
served by the Denver City and Fort Worth and the Chicago, 
Rock Island and Gulf railways and also by the " Santa Fe 
lines " (the Pecos and Northern and the Southern Kansas 
of Texas railways). It has three national banks, a state 
bank, a bank and trust company, and a trust company, a 
high school and six ward schools, three private schools, ten 
churches, two miles of paved streets, waterworks and a 
sewer system, an electric-light plant, a gas plant, two ice 
factories, important railroad shops, two flouring mills, grain 
elevators, two street-car lines, two planing mills, an iron 
works, and a cement plant. Amarillo is the center of the 
Panhandle cattle interests and the point of shipment for 
poultry in large quantities. 

154. (22) Texarkana (9790 in Texas, 5655 in Arkansas; 
total population 15,445) is the designation of "twin cities" 
on the Arkansas-Texas line, each of which has its own 
municipal government. They, however, constitute one 
community, and while their business and mdustries will be 
treated separately, a correct conception is possible only by 
considering both cities as a unit. With this understanding, 
we may say that Texarkana is an important railroad town, 
being the southern terminus of the Saint Louis, Iron ]Moun- 
tain and Southern Railway, the eastern terminus of the 

201 



202 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

main line and transcontinental divisions of the Texas and 
Pacific Railway, and the northern terminus of a branch 
line to Shreveport. It is also the eastern termmus of the 
Saint Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas, which here 
connects with the Saint Louis Southwestern, and an impor- 
tant station on the Kansas City Southern (" Port Arthur 
Route "), the Texas portion of which is known as the Tex- 
arkana and Fort Smith Railway. Situated in a forested 
region, an extensive trade has been developed in pine 
lumber, shingles, furniture, and wooden ware. 

In the Texas city there are two national banks, a trust 
company, one of the largest ice plants in the state, a com- 
press, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a creosoting establishment, a 
handle factory, glass works, and a brickyard. It has also 
the general offices of the Texarkana and Fort Smith Rail- 

o 

way, repair shops of the Texas and Pacific Railway, and is 
the division headquarters of all the railroads centering at 
this point. Among its improvements are a City Hall, a 
new high-school building, eight office buildings, an opera 
house, eight churches, many macadamized streets, a sewer 
system, a natural-gas plant, and an electric street-car line. 
The Arkansas city is the county seat of Miller county. 
It has a Courthouse, City Hall, an excellent high-school 
building, a national bank, a savings and trust company, 
two large sawmills, a natural-gas plant, waterworks, novelty 
works, and an electric-light plant ; also wholesale grocery 
houses and dry-goods establishments. The hospital of the 
Saint Louis Southwestern Railways (" Cotton Belt ") is lo- 
cated here. The city has many blocks of paved streets, 
a sewer system, and electric street cars. The Federal 
Building is on the state Ime. A Federal Court, however, 
sits in each city. 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 



203 



155. (23) Corsicana (9749), fifty-five miles northeast of 
Waco, is the county seat of Navarro county. Since the 
discovery of oil in 1896 it has become a place of consider- 
able importance. The oil wells here are not "gushers," 
as were those of the Beaumont field, but "pumpers." 
Although unsightly, many have been put down on city 
lots and yield their owners a handsome income. 



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Fig. 127. View ix the Corsicaxa Oil Field 

A producing well iu the front yard or back lot of a dwelling 
is not uncommon 



Corsicana has four banks, three national and one state. 
Its most important industry is an oil refinery. Among its 
other industries are a cotton compress, two cotton-ginning 
establishments, two cotton-seed-oil mills, a cotton mill man- 
ufacturing both bagging and sheeting, an ice factory, an 
iron foundry, a cold-storage plant, and a planing mill. The 
State Orphans' Home and the Odd Fellows' Orphans' Home 
are both located here. 



204 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

The town is situated at the crossing of the Houston and 
Texas Central, the Trinity and Brazos Valley and the 
Saint Louis Southwestern ("Cotton Belt") railways. It 
has seven public schools, fifteen churches, an electric-light 
plant, and an electric street railroad. 

156. (24) Abilene (9204) is the county seat of Taylor 
county. It is situated on the Texas and Pacific Railway, 
one hundred and sixty-one miles south of west from Fort 
Worth, and is an important point for the shipment of grain, 
cotton, and stock. It is also served by the Abilene and 
Southern and the Abilene and Northern (Wichita Valley) 
railways. The town is one of the most progressive in the 
state. It has two Federal Buildings, three national banks, 
a state bank and trust company, a cotton compress, four 
gins, a cotton-seed-oil -mill, a flour mill, two planing mills, 
an ice factory, an electric-light plant, waterworks, and an 
electric street railroad. The well-built business blocks, the 
schools, churches, and attractive homes, furnish abundant 
evidence of thrift and prosperity. The State Epileptic Col- 
ony (an asylum for the afflicted), Simmons College (Baptist), 
and Christian College are located here. 

157. (25) Greenville (8850), the county seat of Hunt 
county, fifty -four miles northeast of Dallas, is an important 
railroad center. Lines of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas 
Railway enter the city from five different directions. It 
is also reached by the Saint Louis Southwestern and the 
Texas Midland railroads. It has good schools, numerous 
churches, and a street railway. Among the private in- 
stitutions is Burleson College (Baptist). The surrounding 
country, which is well adapted to farming and stock rais- 
ing, contributes much to the prosperity of the town. Its 
industries include a large cotton-seed-oil mill, an oil refinery, 



I 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 205 

two compresses, an ice factory, a flouring mill, marble works, 
and railroad repair shops. The volume of business is suffi- 
cient for the maintenance of three national banks and a 
state bank. 

158. (26) Corpus Christi (8222), the county seat of 
Nueces county, is an attractive town on Corpus Christi 
bay, one hundred and forty-nine miles south-southeast of 
San Antonio. It is reached by the San Antonio and 
Aransas Pass and the Texas Mexican railways. On ac- 
count of its position on the Gulf coast. Corpus Christi is 
an excellent health resort in both summer and winter. It 
has two national banks, a state bank, a good Courthouse, 
four public schools, several churches, a street-car line, and 
ample accommodations for the numerous visitors who fre- 
quent the shore at all seasons. Its shipments include vege- 
tables from the truck farms in the vicinity, fish and oysters, 
cotton, wool, and hides. 

159. (27) Wichita Falls (8200), the county seat, is situ- 
ated in the eastern part of Wichita county, at the junction 
of the Fort Worth and Denver City, the Missouri, Kansas 
and Texas, the Wichita Valley, the Wichita Falls and 
Northeastern, and the Wichita Falls and Northwestern rail- 
roads. The growth of the city within the past few years has 
been very rapid. It now has two national banks, two state 
banks and a trust company, five public schools (including 
a high school), a City Hall, ten churches, waterworks and 
electric-light works, a natural-gas plant, and eight miles of 
street railway. The city is very advantageously situated 
for manufacturing, being close to the Petrolia oil and gas 
field, which affords cheap and abundant fuel. Its indus- 
tries include brick plants, machine sliops and foundries, 
a motor-truck factory, planing mills, cotton compresses. 



206 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

cotton-seed-oil mills, flour mills, grain elevators, ice plants, 
etc. The surrounding country is well adapted to farming 
and stock raising. 

160. (28) Port Arthur (7663), on Sabine lake, twenty 
miles southeast of Beaumont, is the southern terminus of 
the Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway (Kansas City South- 
ern). It is also reached by a branch of the Texas and New 
Orleans Railroad (Southern Pacific) and has deep-water con- 
nection with the Gulf through a ship canal. The growth 
of the town within the past few years has been remarkable. 
In 1900 its population was only 900. It has a national 
bank, a state bank, a trust company, twelve blocks of 
paved streets, six public schools, eight churches, two water- 
works, an electric-liglit plant, and six miles of street rail- 
way. Of its industries two large oil refineries deserve 
special mention. A large grain elevator, warehouses, and 
a dock for loading oil for shipment are also located here. 

161. (29) Gainesville (7624), the county seat of Cooke 
county, is a thriving town at the crossing of the Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe and the Missouri, Kansas and 
Texas railways, sixty-five miles north of Fort Worth and 
six miles south of Red river. Situated in an excellent 
wheat- and cotton-growing region and having valuable 
fruit lands to the east and a cattle country to the northwest, 
it commands a good trade, both wholesale and retail. It 
has two national banks, a state bank, five public schools, 
fourteen churches, waterworks, and electric lights. Among 
its industries are the repair shops of the Santa Fe, a large 
flour mill, a foundry, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a compress, 
cotton gins, an ice factory, and a large grain elevator. 

162. (30) Terrell (7050) is situated in the northern part 
of Kaufman county, at the crossing of the Texas and Pacific 



CITIES AXD TOWXS OF TEXAS 207 

and the Texas Midland railroads, thirty-two miles east of 
Dallas. It is the shipping point of a rich agricultural, stock, 
and fruit country. The North Texas State Hospital for the 
Insane is located here, also the shops and hospital of the 
Texas Midland Railroad. Among the commercial and in- 
dustrial enterprises of the town are two national banks, a 
state bank, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a compress, an electric- 
light plant, a flouring mill, an ice factory, and a foundry. 
The public schools are well conducted and are in a flourish- 
ing condition. 

163. (31) Brownwood (696 7), the county seat of Brown 
county, is situated on Pecan bayou, at the junction of the 
San Angelo branch of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe 
and the Fort Worth and Rio Grande railways, one hundred 
and forty-one miles southwest of Fort Worth. It is the seat 
of Daniel Baker College (Presbyterian) and of Howard 
Payne College (Baptist). It has three national banks and 
a private bank, a compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, two flour- 
ing mills, an ice factory, and a harness and saddlery manu- 
factory. The gathering and shipment of pecan nuts is an 
important industry. It is said that the groves of pecan trees 
in this vicinity are unexcelled in the state. 

164. (32) Houston Heights (6984), a suburb of Houston. 
(See page 170.) 

165. (33) Waxahachie (6205), the county seat of Ellis 
county, is a cotton market of much importance. It is said 
that more of that commodity is sold from wagons here than 
at any other place in the world. It is situated at the cross- 
ing of the JNIissouri, Kansas and Texas and the Houston 
and Texas Central railroads, thirty-one miles south of 
Dallas, with which it is directly connected by an interurban 
line. It is also served by the Trinity and Brazos Valley 



208 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Railway. The town has a new and costly Courthouse, a 
City Hall, the N. P. Sims Public Library, city waterworks, 
two national banks, a state bank and trust company, a loan 
company, a large cotton factory, a compress, two cotton- 
seed-oil mills, a flouring mill, ice and electric-light plants, 
and street cars. Trinity University, an important educa- 
tional institution of the Presbyterians, is located here. 
The surrounding country is very rich, and in addition to 
raising cotton, corn, and grain, the farmers are giving 
much attention to fine stock. 

166. (34) Hillsboro (6115), the county seat of Hill 
county, lies thirty-four miles north of Waco, at the junc- 
tion of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas lines from Dallas 
and from Fort Worth. It is also reached by a branch of 
the Saint Louis Southwestern from Corsicana, and is a 
station on the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad. 

The business portion of the tow^n is Avell built. A 
handsome Courthouse adorns the public square, and there 
are many attractive residences. One of the largest com- 
presses in the state is located here. Other industries in- 
clude a cotton mill, cotton-seed-oil mills, flour mills, grain 
elevators, private waterworks, an electric-light plant, and 
an ice factory. 

Hillsboro has two national banks, three state banks, a 
trust company, seven public schools, and thirteen churches, 
nine for white people and four for colored. It is an impor- 
tant shipping point for live stock, — horses, mules, cattle, 
and hogs. Large crops of cotton, corn, and small grains 
are produced in its vicinity. 

167. (35) Ennis (5669) is situated in the eastern part 
of Ellis county, on the Houston and Texas Central Rail- 
road, tliirty-four miles southeast of Dallas. It is also the 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 209 

southern terminus of the Texas Midland Railroad. Like 
other towns of the Black Prairie belt, it is surrounded by 
rich farming lands. It has three national banks, a state 
bank, the repair shops of the Houston and Texas Central 
Railroad, a large compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, an ice 
factory, and yards for feeding and shipping cattle. 

168. (86) Orange (5527), the county seat of Orange 
count}^ lies on the right bank of the Sabine river, twenty- 
two miles east of Beaumont. It is an attractive town, with 
good public buildings, hotels, and business blocks. Its rail- 
roads are two in number, the Texas and New Orleans 
(Southern Pacific) and the Orange and Northwestern. 
The latter connects with the Texarkana and Fort Smith 
Railway (Kansas City Southern) at Maurice, and with the 
Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City (Santa Fe) at Buna. 

Orange is in a rice- and cotton-growing country and is 
also the point of shipment of large quantities of lumber and 
shingles. It has two national banks, four public scliools, 
five saw and shingle mills, a rice mill, a large paper mill 
(using pine shavings), a foundry, an ice factory, and an 
electric-light plant. At the present time liglit-draft vessels 
may dock at the town. An extension of the Beaumont-Port 
Arthur Ship Canal is much desired. 

169. (37) Taylor (5314) is a prosperous town in William- 
son county, thirty -five miles by rail northeast of Austin. 
It is located at the crossing of the International and Great 
Northern and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroads, 
and is the principal point of shipment for a large territory. 
It has three national banks, a state bank, four schools, 
several wholesale houses, two cotton-seed-oil mills, a cotton 
compress, tlie repair shops of the International and Great 
Northern Railroad, a large flour mill, an ice factory, an 



210 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

electric-light and power plant, waterworks, etc. Within 
the limits of the town there are several artesian wells. 
The surrounding country is very rich and excellently 
adapted to cotton, corn, and grain. Here also the cultiva- 
tion of fruit and vegetables and the rearing of fine stock 
are growing industries. 

170. (38) Longview (5155), the county seat of Gregg 
county, is the northern terminus of the main line of the 
International and Great Northern Railroad and of the 
Texas and Gulf Railway. The Texas and Pacific furnislies 
east and west connections. It is also connected with Ore 
City, twenty-four miles distant, by the Port Bolivar Iron 
Ore Railway. The town has the International and Great 
Northern repair shops, a foundry and machine shop, a com- 
press, a cotton-seed-oil mill, plow works, a box factory, a 
sawmill, brick and pottery plants, an ice factory, a street 
railroad, and an electric-light plant. There are two national 
banks, two state banks, and a trust company at this point. 
Situated in the Forested area, lumbering, as well as agricul- 
ture and fruit growing, is an important industry of the 
surrounding country. 

171. (89) Sulphur Springs (5151), the county seat of 
Hopkins county and an important town on the Saint 
Louis Southwestern Railway and the Shreveport line of 
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, is situated 
thirty-one miles east of Greenville and seventy-one miles 
southeast of Sherman. The surrounding country is not 
only well adapted to general agriculture, producing cotton 
and corn in abundance, but to the growth of fruits and 
vegetables as well. The town has two national banks, a 
state bank, a fine Courthouse, four public schools, and 
nine churches. Among its industries are a compress, two 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 211 

cotton-seed-oil mills, cotton gins, an ice plant, an electric- 
light plant, several furniture and woodworking establish- 
ments, and a brickyard. The leading crops of the vicinity 
are cotton, corn, and grain. 1* caches and other fruits are 
also successfully grown. 

172. (40) Weatherford (5074), the county seat of 
linker county, is situated on the Texas and Pacific Railway, 
thirty-one miles west of Fort Worth. It is connected with 
Cleburne by the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, 
and with ^lineral Wells by the Weatherford, Mineral 
Wells and Northwestern Railway. The town is well built, 
with brick and stone business blocks, and is a commercial 
center of importance. It has a new City Hall, two national 
banks, two state banks, six public schools, an electric-light 
plant, a sewer system, and waterworks. Among its ship- 
ments are cotton, grain, hides, and live stock. Its industries 
include a cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a cotton- 
yarn mill, four gins, two foundries, two ice factories, a pot- 
tery, a flouring mill, and a planing mill. The Texas Fairmont 
Seminary and Weatherford College are located here. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

CITIES AND TOWNS HAVING BETWEEN TWENTY-FIVE 
HUNDRED AND FIVE THOUSAND INHABITANTS 

173. (41) Bonham (4844) is a thriving town on the 
Texas and Pacific Railway, twenty-six miles east of Sher- 
man. It is also connected with Denison by the Denison, 
Bonham and New Orleans Railroad, which is leased and 
operated by the INIissonri, Kansas and Texas Railway. 
Fannin county, of which it is the county seat and principal 
point of shipment, is widely known on account of the excel- 
lence of its land and the heavy crops of cotton, corn, and 
grain produced there. The raising of fine stock is a grow- 
ing industry in this region, and the culture of fruit is now 
receiving attention. 

Bonham has two national banks and a state bank, a new 
Federal building, an electric street railway, paved streets, 
waterworks, a sewer system, a hospital, eiglit churches, 
and good schools, public and private. The industrial estab- 
lishments of the town include a large flour mill and ele- 
vator, a cotton mill, a cotton-seed-oil mill, cotton gins, 
a compress, a wholesale grocery, an ice factory, and an 
electric-light plant. 

174. (42) Denton (4732), the county seat of Denton 
county, is situated on the Texas and Pacific and the 
Missouri, Kansas and Texas railways, thirty-seven miles 
northwest of Dallas and thirty-six miles north-northeast of 

212 



CITIKS AND T0WX8 OF TEXAS 213 

Fort Worth. It has three national banks, a state bank, a 
large flour mill, elevators, a cotton-seecl-oil mill, cotton gins, 
a brickyard, a planing mill, a cannery, waterworks (artesian), 
street cars, and an electric-light plant. The North Texas 
State Normal College (a large school for the training of 
teachers) and the College of Industrial Arts for Women, 
excellent state institutions, are located here. 

175. (43) Brenham (4718), the county seat of Washing- 
ton county, is situated at the crossing of the Gulf, Colorado 
and Santa Fe and the Houston and Texas Central railroads, 
seventy-one miles northwest of Houston. Located in the 
midst of a rich agricultural region, it has become an im- 
portant shipping point and business center. It has a large 
cotton-seed-oil mill, two cotton compresses, a cotton mill, 
a foundry, an electric-light plant, a brickyard, and numerous 
smaller industries. There are three banks (national, state, 
and private), excellent public schools, and a college — the 
Blinn JNIemorial (German jNIethodist). 

176. (44) McKinney (4714), the county seat of Collhi 
county, is a thriving town at the junction of the Houston 
and Texas Railroad and the ]\IcKinney branch of the ^lis- 
souri, Kansas and Texas Railway, thirty-two miles north 
of Dallas. It has a hue Courthouse, two national banks 
and a state bank, artesian waterworks, five public schools, 
cotton compresses and gins, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a cotton 
mill, an electric-light plant, an ice factory, a flour mill and 
elevator, a large nursery, wholesale grocery liouses, and 
nine churches. The surrounding country is in a high 
state of cultivation. 

177. (45) Yoakum (4(357) is a thriving railroad town in 
the northern part of Dewitt county, a hundred and seventy- 
one miles south of Waco and a hundred and nineteen miles 



214 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

southwest of Houston. It is situated on the San Antonio 
and Aransas Pass Railway, at the junction of its hues from 
the above-named cities. This road also affords direct 
communication with San Antonio and Corpus Christi. 
The town is well built and has a national and a state bank, 
waterworks, electric lights, and good schools. The round- 
house and repair shop of the San Antonio and Aransas 
Pass Railway, a cotton compress, cotton gins, a creamery, 
and an ice plant are located here. The surrounding 
country is productive and devoted principally to raising 
cotton and corn. 

178. (46) Sweetwater (4176), the county seat, is situated 
in the northern part of Nolan county, at the junction of the 
Texas and Pacific, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe 
(Coleman " cut off "), and the Kansas City, Mexico and 
Orient railways. It has a national bank, a state bank, a 
private bank and a trust company, paved streets, water- 
works, and ah electric-light plant. Among its industries 
are railroad shops, a cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, 
a flour mill, a saddlery manufactory, several wholesale 
houses, and lumber yards. The adjoining lands are de- 
voted to agriculture and stock raising. Excellent schools 
are maintained, the high school being affiliated with the 
University of Texas, at Austin. 

179. (47) Belton (4164), the county seat of Bell county, 
lies eight miles south of west of Temple, on the line of the 
San Angelo branch of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe 
Railway. It is also reached by a tap of the Missouri, 
Kansas and Texas Railway from Echo, and an electric line 
from Temple. Among the industries of the town are a 
large cotton mill, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a flouring mill, and 
an electric-light plant. Belton has two national banks, a 



citip:s and towns of texas 215 

state bank, and a private bank, an excellent Courthouse, 
five public schools, a Carnegie Public Library, and water- 
works. As an educational center it is well known, being 
the seat of Baylor Female College (Baptist), one of the 
oldest institutions in the state. Bell county has long been 
famous for the fertility of its soils and for the excellence 
of its agricultural products. 

180. (48) Bryan (4132), the county seat of Brazos county, 
is located on the Houston and Texas Central and the In- 
ternational and Great Northern railroads, ninety-eight miles 
northwest of Houston. The Brazos bottom is one of the 
richest agricultural regions in the state, and a large part of 
its cotton product is marketed and shipped at this point. 
The town has two national banks and a state bank, a 
Carnegie Public Library, an Ursuline Academy for girls 
(Roman Catholic), and a Collegiate Institute (Baptist). 
Among its industrial establishments are a compress, a 
cotton-seed-oil mill, a sawmill and gristmill, and a number 
of small manufacturing plants. The Agricultural and 
Mechanical College at College Station, four miles to the 
south, with which it is connected by an interurban car line, 
is a large contributor to the volume of its retail trade. 

181. (49) Uvalde (3998), the "City Beautiful," the 
county seat of Uvalde county, is located ninety-two miles 
slightly south of west from San Antonio, and is served by 
the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio (Southern 
Pacific) and the San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf railroads. 
The town has a wide reputation for its large shipments of 
honey and mohair. Other shipments include fine cattle 
and pecan nuts. It has two national banks and a state 
bank, nine churches, five schools, an electric-light plant, an 
ice factory, waterworks, and a gasoline-motor street railway. 



216 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

182. (50) Mineral Wells (3950) is situated iii the eastern 
part of Palo Pinto county, twenty-two miles north of Avest 
from Weatherford. It is a well-known Texas resort on ac- 
count of the curative properties of its mineral Avaters, of 
which 1,500,000 gallons are said to be shipped annually. 
The town has a national bank and two state banks, four 
public schools, twelve churches, waterworks, an electric- 
light plant, and tln-ee miles of street railway. Its industries 
include eight bottling works, five grain elevators, a cotton- 
seed-oil mill, two gins, and a box factory. A large number 
of hotels and boarding houses are maintained for the 
accommodation of visitors. 

183. (51) Crockett (3947), the county seat of Houston 
county, is situated on the International and Great Northern 
Railroad, thirty-eight miles south of Palestine. It is in 
the East Texas lumber region, and the surrounding country 
is well adapted to the growth of fruits and vegetables. It 
has two banks (national and state), and among its industrial 
establishments are a cotton-seed-oil mill, a compress, saw 
and planing mills, an ice factory, a cannery, and an electric- 
light plant. 

184. (52) Stamford (3902), in the northern part of Jones 
county, is located at the junction of the Texas Central, the 
Wichita Valley, and the Stamford and Northwestern rail- 
ways. It has two national banks and a state bank, water- 
works, electric lights, public schools, and many blocks of 
paved streets. Among its industries are grain elevators 
and flouring mills, cotton compresses, gins and cotton- 
seed-oil mills, ice plants, creameries, and brickyards. It 
is a shipping point for live stock, wool, and hides. The 
adjoining lands are well adapted to the production of 
cotton, wheat, oats, and corn. 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TP:XAS 217 

185. (53) Marlin (3878), the county seat of Falls county 
and an important business center, is situated near the Brazos 
river, twenty-six miles below Waco. It is located in the 
midst of a very fertile region, and the curative properties 
of its artesian hot well ^ have given the town a wide repu- 
tation as a health resort. It has two national banks and a 
state bank, three schools, thirteen churches, fifteen miles of 
cement sidewalks, a compress, a cotton -seed-oil mill, three 
grain mills, an ice factory, a brick-making plant, water- 
works, and an electric-light plant. The Fort Worth Divi- 
sion of the International and Great Northern and the branch 
of the Houston and Texas Central from Bremond to Waco 
cross here, affording excellent facilities for transportation. 

186. (54) Childress (3818), the county seat of Childress 
county, is an important town on the Fort Worth and Den- 
ver City Railroad. It has a national bank and two state 
banks, three public schools, waterworks, electric lights, seven 
churches, a cotton compress and three cotton gins, and is a 
railroad division point, with shops and roundhouses. The 
adjoining lands are devoted to stock, cotton, and diversified 
farming. The raising of poultry is a growing industry. 

187. (55) Victoria (3(')73), the county seat of Victoria 
county, is situated on the Guadalupe river, at the junction 
of several lines of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San An- 
tonio IJailway (Southern Pacific), by wdiich direct communi- 
cation may be had with Houston, San Antonio, Beeville and 
Port Lavaca. It is also the terminus of a branch of the 

1 This well was drilled by the city at a cost of $30,000. It is 3330 feet 
deep, flows at the rate of 80,000 gallons per day, has a temperature of 
147 degrees Fahr., and a pressure of 07 pounds to the square inch. See 
"Geography and Geology of the Black and Grand Prairies, Texas," by 
Robert T. Hill, Twenty -fir.st Annual Re])ort of the United States Geological 
Survey^ Part VII, p. 645. 



218 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TP:XAS 

Saint Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway, connecting 
with the main Ime at Bloomington. The town is twenty- 
seven miles nortliAvest of Port Lavaca on the Gulf and in 
the midst of an agricultural and stock-raising region. It 
has a good stone Courthouse, a national bank, two state 
banks, a City Hall, waterworks, a cotton-seed-oil mill, 
electric lights, and excellent public schools. It is also 
the seat of Nazareth Academy and Saint Joseph's School 
(Roman Catholic). 

Victoria is often called the " City of Roses." Its streets 
are remarkably well kept and beautifully shaded with trees. 
Many wealthy stockmen have their homes here. Among 
the articles of export are cattle, hides, and cotton. 

188. (56) Ballinger (3536), the county seat of Runnels 
county, is situated on the San Angelo branch of the Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, thirty-six miles northeast 
of San Angelo. It is also the southern terminus of the 
Abilene and Southern Railway. The town has a national 
bank, two state banks, four schools, seven churches, a Car- 
negie Library, a mile and a half of paved streets, several 
miles of cement sidewalks, waterworks, a sewer system in 
the business district, and an electric-light plant. Among 
its industries are a compress, five ghis, an oil mill, a flour 
mill, and two wholesale liouses. The grounds about the 
Courthouse and the Santa Fe depot are very attractive. 
Near-by rock quarries furnish an abundance of good build- 
mg material. 

189. (57) Eagle Pass (3536), the county seat of Maverick 
county, is situated on the Rio Grande, one hundred and 
sixty-seven miles, by rail, southwest of San Antonio. It 
is the terminus of a branch of the Galveston, Harrisburg 
and San Antonio (Southern Pacific) Railway, which here 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 219 

connects with the Mexican International Raih^oad. The 
town is the headquarters of an extensive customs district 
and has a large trade with Mexico, especially with C.P.Diaz 
on the opposite side of the river. It has two national banks, 
a state bank, over forty blocks of macadamized streets, three 
schools, four churches, waterworks, electric lights, and an 
international bridge. Among its shipments, hides deserve 
special mention. The coal mines near Eagle Pass are two 
hi number and have a total daily capacity of about 2000 tons. 
While cattle raising is the chief industry of the adjoining ter- 
ritory, the ranches are gradually passing into farms. Wher- 
ever irrigation is possible vegetables are successfully gro^vn. 

190. (58) Nacogdoches (3369), an " old Texas " town, is 
the county seat of Nacogdoches county. It is served by 
the Houston, East and West Texas, the Texas and New 
Orleans, and the Nacogdoches and Southeastern railways. 
It has waterworks, electric lights, two and a half miles of 
paved streets, and a paved public square. A new Court- 
house and jail have been recently erected. The town sup- 
ports three public schools and seven churches. It has one 
national and two state banks, a cotton compress, a cotton- 
seed-oil mill, an ice plant and wood-working plants. In 
addition to cotton, tobacco is now being successfully culti- 
vated in this vicinity, and excellent fruits are also grown. 

191. (59) Teague (3288) is a "new" town situated on the 
Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway, m the Avestern part of 
Freestone county, fourteen miles east of Mexia. It has a 
national bank, two state banks, four public schools, seven 
cluirches, waterworks, an electric-light plant, and several 
miles of concrete sidewalks, and is a division point on the 
railroad. The extensive shops located here give employ- 
ment to between live and six hundred men. There are also 



220 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

at this point two planing mills, a cotton compress, three 
cotton gins, an ice plant, and a machine shop. The town is 
snpplied with natural gas from -the Mexia field. The sur- 
rounding lands produce cotton, corn, and other crops, as 
well as fruits and vegetables. 

192. (GO) Navasota (3284) is situated m the south- 
western part of Grimes county, seventy miles northwest of 
Houston. It lies on the west bank of the Nava^sota river, 
near its confluence with the Brazos. Lines of the Gulf, 
Colorado and Santa Fe, the Houston and Texas Central, 
and the International and Great Northern railroads afford 
excellent connections. Many of the business houses are 
built of brick and stone. The town has two national banks, 
a state bank, a City Hall, waterworks, and electric lights. 
Its industries include a large cotton-seed-oil mill, a cotton 
compress, two machine shops, an ice factory, a wagon 
factory, and bottling works. The surrounding country 
produces large quantities of cotton. Truck farming (the 
raising of vegetables) is also carried on in the vicinity. 

193. (01) Beeville (3269), the county seat of Bee county, 
is located at the junction of the San Antonio and Aransas 
Pass Railway and a branch of the Galveston, Harrisburg 
and San Antonio (Southern Pacific) Railway extending 
southwest from Victoria. It has two national banks, a 
state bank and trust company, four schools, waterworks, 
an electric-light plant, nine churches, two cotton gins, an 
oil mill, and a broom factory. A state experimental farm is 
located four miles east of town. The adjoining lands are de- 
voted to cotton growing and stock raising. The production 
of poultry, honey, and early vegetables are minor industries. 

194. (()2) Cameron (3263), the county seat of ]\Iilam 
county, lies on the left bank of Little river, fifty -three 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 221 

miles south of AVaco. The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe 
and the San Antonio and Aransas Pass railways cross at 
this point. The town, situated in the midst of a fine agri- 
cultural region, has a costly Courthouse, two national 
banks, a state bank, a cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil 
mill, an ice factory, waterworks, and an electric-light plant. 
Cotton is the principal shipment. 

195. (63) Vernon (3195), the county seat of Wilbarger 
county, is an important station on the Fort Worth and 
Denver City Railway. It is also the southern terminus of 
a " Frisco " line having many Oklahoma connections. The 
industries centered here include a cotton compress and oil 
mill, four gins, an ice factory, a creamery, a combined grain 
mill and elevator, and an elevator. The town has two 
national and two state banks, three schools, six churches, 
Avaterworks, a sewer system, and an electric-light plant. 
Its chief shipments are cotton and grain. 

196. (64) Smith ville (3167), an important railroad town, 
is situated in the western part of Bastrop county, fifteen 
miles southeast of Bastrop, at the junction of three lines of 
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway. It has a national 
and a state bank, four churches, a public school, and water- 
works. The machine shops and roundhouse of the railway 
are located here. Other industries include a cotton com- 
press, a cotton-seed-oil mill, electric-light and ice plants, and 
a local brickmaking establishment. The railroad branch of 
the Young Men's Christian Association has a building at 
this point. Cotton, corn, and oats are the chief creeps of the 
adjoining farms. 

197. (65) New Braunfels (3165), an "old German" settle- 
ment (1845) and county seat, is situated in the eastern 
part of Comal county near the junction of the Comal and 



222 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

Guadalupe rivers. It is served by the luternational and 
Great Northern and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas 
railways. The town has a national bank, a state bank, a 
public school, four churches, and a Courthouse. Among its 
industries are extensive flour mills and elevators, cotton- 
seed-oil mills, ice and electric plants, etc., all operated by 
power developed by the Comal river, a short but power- 
ful stream having its source in magnificent springs near at 
hand. The adjacent valley lands are very productive and 
well suited not only for cotton and corn but for alfalfa, 
vegetables, and fruits. 

198. (()6) Bay City (3156), the county seat of Matagorda 
county, is served by the Galveston, Harrisburg and San 
Antonio (Southern Pacific), the Samt Louis, Brownsville 
and Mexico (" Frisco "), and the Cane Belt (Santa Fe) rail- 
ways. It lies some twenty miles distant from the coast, 
with which it is connected by rail at Matagorda. It is also 
connected, at a greater distance, with Palacios, a point of 
shipment for fish and oysters. The town has a national 
bank, a state bank, a trust company, twenty blocks of 
paved streets, waterworks, eight churches, and a school. 
Its industries include two rice mills and ten or twelve 
smaller establishments. The surrounding region is devoted 
to agriculture (including the growing of rice), to stock rais- 
ing, and to the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. 

199. (67) Gonzales (3139), the county seat of Gonzales 
county, is an " old Texas " town, settlement having been 
made in 1835. It is situated on the Guadalupe river, near 
the mouth of the San Marcos, sixty-five miles east of San 
Antonio. The construction of a dam at this point has 
furnished sufficient power to operate a gin, a gristmill, 
waterworks, an ice factory, and an electric-light plant. The 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 223 

town has a national bank, two state banks, eight churches, 
and excellent public schools, and in addition to the indus- 
tries mentioned above, several cotton gins, a cotton factory, 
a cotton-seed-oil mill, and a brickmaking plant. 

Gonzales is known as the "Lexington of Texas/' Here, 
by command of Colonel John H. Moore, was fired the first 
gun of the Texas revolution (October 2, 1835). The town 
is reached by the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio 
and the San Antonio and Aransas Pass railways. 

200. (68) Quanah (3127), the county seat, is situated in 
the north-central part of Hardeman county, one hundred 
and ninety-two miles northwest of Fort Worth. It is an 
important station on the Fort Worth and Denver City 
Railway, the present terminus of a branch of the " Frisco " 
system extending southwestward from Oklahoma City, and 
the terminus of the Quanah, Acme and Pacific, a line now 
being built towards El Paso. In Quanah there are a 
national bank, two state banks, three schools, six churches, 
three gins, a compress, a large oil mill, a flour mill, an 
electric-light and ice plant, an overalls factory, and a fcAv 
miles from town, at Acme, extensive cement works. On 
the adjoining lands cotton, wheat, oats, and feed stuff are 
successfully grown. The raising of cattle and hogs is also 
an important industry. 

201. ((')9) Seguin (3116), the county seat, is situated near 
the center of Guadalupe county, on the north bank of Guada- 
lupe river. It is served by the Galveston, Harrisburg and 
San Antonio Railway (Southern Pacific). Among the busi- 
ness enterprises and industries are a national bank, two 
trust companies and a i)rivate bank, a cotton compress, a 
cotton-seed-oil mill, cotton gins and flouring mills. The city 
is provided with waterworks and electric lights. The river is 



224 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

a source of power at this point. Seguin has three pubhc 
schools, a Lutheran college, a Roman Catholic school, a 
college for the colored, and eight churches. The surround- 
ing country produces fine crops of cotton and corn, and the 
rearing of fine hogs is a specialty. 

202. (70) Cuero [hwd-ro] (3109), the county seat, is situ- 
ated near the center of Dewitt county, two miles from 
the Guadalupe river. It is one hundred and thirty-seven 
miles by rail southwest of Houston and twenty-eight miles 
northwest of Victoria. The San Antonio and Aransas 
Pass Railway affords communication Avith San Antonio, 
Corpus Christi, and Houston, and the Galveston, Harris- 
burg and San Antonio Railway with San Antonio and 
Victoria. It has two national banks, a private bank, 
waterworks, electric lights, and public and private schools. 
Among its industries are a cotton compress, a cotton- 
seed-oil mill, a cotton factory, and several gins. The dam 
across the river, three miles above the town, has rendered 
the irrigation of a large tract of land possible, besides fur- 
nishing power to the cottoil mill. Cotton is the chief 
product of the surrounding country, though vegetables in 
considerable quantites are raised and shipped to the larger 
cities of the state. 

203. (71) Georgetown (3096), the county seat of Wilham- 
son county, is located at the junction of the North and 
South forks of the San Gabriel river, twenty-eight miles by 
rail north of Austin. It is reached by a tap of the Inter- 
national and Great Northern Railroad from Round Rock, 
and also by the Austin branch of the Missouri, Kansas 
and Texas Railway from Granger. The town has excellent 
schools, many churches, and is the seat of Soutliwestern 
University, a flourishing institution under the auspices of 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 225 

the Methodist Episcopal Church South. It has a national 
and a state bank, a cotton-seed-oil mill, three gins, a flour- 
ing mill, waterworks, and electric-light and sewerage plants. 
Cotton, corn, and live stock constitute its chief shipments. 

204. (72) Coleman (3046), the county seat, is situated 
near the center of the county of the same name. It is served 
b}' the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe (San Angelo branch) 
and the Pecos and Northern Texas (Santa Fe " cut off ") 
railways. The town has two national banks, two public 
schools, w^aterworks, a sewer system, and electric lights. 
Its industries include a cotton compress, four gins, a flour 
mill, an oil mill, an elevator, an ice factory, and a brick- 
3^ard. The surrounding region is devoted to the produc- 
tion of cotton, to stock raising, and to general farming. 

205. (73) Lockhart (2945) is the county seat of Caldwell 
county. It is served by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas 
Railway and is the terminus of a branch of the San Antonio 
and Aransas Pass Railway. It lies sixteen miles east of 
San Marcos, in the north-central part of the county, sur- 
rounded by a region devoted chiefly to the production of 
cotton and corn. Lockhart has two national banks, a state 
bank, public schools, waterworks, electric lights, cotton 
compresses, cotton-seed-oil mills, gins, etc. It is also a 
shipping point for horses, mules, and feed. 

206. (74) Mart (2939) is a town in McLennan county 
on the Fort Worth division of the International and Great 
Northern Railroad, nineteen miles east of Waco. It has 
two national banks, a state bank, municipal waterworks, a 
sewerage plant, two schools, eight cliurches, five gins, a 
cotton compress, an oil mill, an electric-light plant, an ice 
factory, and a sheet-metal works. The division repair shops 
and roundhouse of the railroad are located at this point. 



226 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

207. (75) Jacksonville (2875), the county seat of Cherokee 
county, is the center of the East Texas truck and fruit 
belt. It is situated on three raih^oads, the main hue of the 
International and Great Northern, the Dallas-Beaumont 
branch of the Texas and New Orleans (Southern Pacific), 
and a branch of the Saint Louis Southwestern (" Cotton 
Belt") extending southeast from Tyler. Its financial 
institutions include a national bank, three state banks, and 
a trust company. It has two public schools and two col- 
leges (Baptist and Methodist respectively), eight churches, 
waterworks, and an electric-light plant. Among its indus- 
tries are two planing mills, two box, crate, and basket 
factories (the output of which is used in handling fruit), an 
ice factory, a concrete-block factory, two gins, an oil mill, 
and several wholesale grain and grocery houses. 

The Jacksonville country is one of the best fruit and 
truck regions in the Southwest. Its shipments consist 
largely of tomatoes, potatoes, peaches, and melons. 

208. (76) Bowie (2874), sixty-nine miles northwest of 
Fort Worth, lies in the southwest part of Montague county, 
at the crossing of the Fort Worth and Denver City and 
the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf railways. The adjacent 
region is valuable not only for general agriculture but also 
for fruit culture. Bowie has three national banks, and its 
industries include a cotton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, 
a flouring mill, a fruit cannery, an ice factory, and an 
electric-light plant. It is an important shipping point for 
farm products, cotton, and fruit. Coal seam No. 7 (see 
Fig. 70) has been worked near the town. 

209. (77) Plainview (2829), the county seat of Hale 
county, is a tlniving town on the Pecos and Northern 
Texas Railway (Santa P'e), seventy-five miles soutli of 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 227 

Amarillo. It is situated in the midst of a region affording 
an abundance of water for irrigating purposes at a compara- 
tively shallow depth — from thirty to sixty feet. There 
are in this community three national banks, a trust com- 
pany, three public schools and two colleges (Methodist and 
Baptist), waterworks, an electric-light plant, ten churches, a 
flour mill, three elevators, and the usual retail stores. 
Apples and other fruits do well in the Plainview country, 
and, with irrigation, farm crops are bountiful. Stock raising 
is a well-established and profitable industry. 

210. (78) Commerce (2818) is situated in the eastern part 
of Hunt county, fourteen miles northeast of Greenville. It 
is served by the Saint Louis Southwestern ("Cotton Belt") 
and the Texas Midland railways and has two national banks, 
two state banks, waterworks, sewer plant, electric lights, four 
schools, and five churches. Its industries include railroad 
shops, two gins, two flour mills, an oil mill, and bottling 
works. The town is surrounded by excellent farming lands. 

211. (79) Comanche (2756), the county seat of Comanche 
county, one hundred and thirteen miles southwest of Fort 
Worth, is served by the Fort Worth and Rio Grande 
(" Frisco ") and the Stephenville North and South Texas 
(" Cotton Belt ") railways. It has three national banks, a 
state bank, five schools, seven churches, waterworks, electric 
lights, and a sewer system. Among its mdustries are a 
cotton compress, three cotton gins, an oil mill, a planing 
mill, an ice plant, a creamery, a sheet-metal works, and 
several large department stores. 

Comanche is the center of a very prosperous agricultural 
region, in which cotton is the principal crop. Other prod- 
ucts include grain, especially oats, corn, and fruit. Stock 
raising and dairying also receive considerable attention. 



228 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

212. (80) Lufkin (2749) is the county seat of Angelina 
county. It is served by the Houston, East and West 
Texas, the "Cotton Belt," the Eastern Texas, the Texas 
Southeastern, and the Angelhia and Neches River railroads. 
The town has a national and a state bank, public schools, 
waterworks, an electric-light plant, and a sewer system. 
Among its industries are a foundry and machine shop, 
a wagon factory, an ice factory, and a lumber establishment. 
It is situated in the East Texas Forested area, and the 
surrounding lands are adapted to the raising of cotton and 
to general farming. 

213. (81) Mexia (2694) is a thriving town in the north- 
eastern part of Limestone county, at the crossing of the 
Houston and Texas Central and the Trinity and Brazos 
Valley railroads. It has a state and a national bank, three 
schools, six churches, an opera house, waterworks drawing 
their supply from springs six miles distant, a sewer system, 
an electric-light plant, an ice factory, a cotton compress, 
four gins, an oil mill, two garages and a machine shop, and 
eleven miles of concrete sidewalks. The recent discovery 
of natural gas in the immediate neighborhood will doubtless 
contribute much to the rapid development of the town. 
It is estimated that the eleven producing wells now furnish 
about 100,000,000 cubic feet daily. Cotton is the chief 
crop in Limestone county. 

214. (82) Brady (2669), the county seat of McCulloch 
county, a hundred and ninety-five and a half miles south- 
west of Fort Worth, is served by the Fort Worth and Rio 
Grande and the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe railways. 
The town has two national banks, two public schools, 
waterworks, electric lights, a cotton compress, and three 
cotton gins. It is a shipping point for live stock and cotton. 



CITIES AND TOWNS OF TEXAS 229 

215. (83) Dalhart (2580), the county seat, is located iii 
the soutliein part of Dallam county, near the Hartley 
county Ime, at the crossing of the Fort Worth and Denver 
City and the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf railways. 
Lying in the extreme northwest of the Panhandle, its alti- 
tude is approximately 4000 feet. It has a national and 
a state bank, two schools, seven churches, waterworks, an 
electric-light plant, a flour mill, and railroad shops. The 
chief industry of the adjoining region is cattle raising. 
Broom corn, milo maize, and Kaflir corn make good crops, 
and apples, pears, and similar fruits are successfully 
grow^n. 

216. (84) Calvert (2579) is situated in the western part 
of Robertson county, on the Houston and Texas Central 
and the International and Great Northern railroads. It 
has two state banks, waterworks (artesian), a compress, a 
cotton-seed-oil mill, an ice factory, and an electric-light 
plant, and is a point of shipment for agricultural products 
and lignite, large deposits of the latter having been opened 
up in its vicinity. 

217. (85) Stephenville (2561), the county seat of Erath 
county, is a town on the Fort Worth and Rio Grande 
Railway, seventy -four miles southwest of Fort Worth. An 
outlet to the southeast is afforded by the Stephenville, 
North and South Texas Railway ("Cotton Belt''), which 
gives direct connection at Waco with the lines centering 
at that point. Stephenville has two national banks, a private 
bank, municipally owned waterworks, twenty blocks of 
paved streets, public schools, electric lights, seven churches, 
a flouring mill, an oil mill, cotton gins, and an ice plant. 
It is the seat of John Tarleton College a privately en- 
dowed institution. 



230 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 

218. (86) Dublin (2551), in the southwestern part of 
Erath county, is located at the crossing of the Texas and 
Pacific and the Fort Worth and Rio Grande railways. It 
has two national banks, two state banks, waterworks, 
electric lights, seven churches, and a public school. Among 
its industries may be mentioned those relating to the 
production of cotton and grain, such as elevators and 
flourmg mills, compresses, gins, and cotton-seed-oil mills. 
Large quantities of butter, eggs, and poultry are shipped 
from this point. 

219. (87) Jefferson (2515), the county seat of Marion 
county, lies at the head of navigation on Big Cypress bayou, 
at the crossing of the Texas and Pacific and the Missouri, 
Kansas and Texas railways and at the southern terminus 
of the Jefferson and Northwestern Railway. It has a 
handsome Federal Building for the use of the United States 
Court and Post Office, two national banks, a state bank, 
seven churches, extensive sawmills, a shingle mill, a cot- 
ton compress, a cotton-seed-oil mill, a blast furnace, iron 
works, gas works, an ice factory, and an electric-liglit plant. 
Situated m the Forested area of the state, it is the shippmg 
point for large quantities of lumber. 

220. (88) Snyder (2514) is the county seat of Scurry 
county. It is served by the Pecos and Northern Texas 
(Santa Fe) and the Roscoe, Snyder and Pacific railways. 
This thriving town has two national banks, a state bank, 
a new Courthouse, a high school and two ward schools, 
municipal waterworks and a sewer system, seven churches, 
an electric-light plant, an ice factory, a cotton-seed-oil mill, 
a planing mill, a grist mill, three cotton gins, and a broom 
factory. The surrounding land is devoted to agriculture 
and stock raising. The chief crop is cotton. 



APPENDIX 



THE COUNTIES OF TEXAS 



Namk 



Anderson 
Andrews 
Angelina 
Aransas . 
Archer . 
Armstrong- 
Atascosa 
Austin . 
Bailey . 
Bandera . 
Bastrop . 
Baylor . 
Bee . . 
Bell . . 
Bexar 
Blanco . 
Borden . 
Bosque . 
Bowie 
Brazoria 
Brazos . 
Brewster 
Briscoe . 
Brooks . 
Brown . 
Burleson 
Burnet . 



Area 

(Square 
Miles) 



1,060 

1,591 
880 
295 
960 
870 

1,182 
712 

1,000 
823 
881 
957 
875 

1,091 

1,268 
762 
892 
972 
907 

1,438 
510 

5,006 
850 

911 

677 
1.010 



POPL'LATION 

(Thirteenth 

Census) 



29,650 

975 

17,705 

2,106 

6,525 

2,682 

10,004 

17,699 

312 

4,921 

25,344 

8,411 

12,090 

49,186 

119,676 

4,311 

1,386 

19,013 

34,827 

13,299 

18,919 

5,220 

2,162 

22,935 

18,687 
10,755 



County Skat 



Palestine 

Andrews 

Lufkin 

Rockport 

Archer City 

Claude 

Jourdanton 

Bellville 

Unorganized 

Bandera 

Bastrop 

Seymour 

Beeville 

Belton 

San Antonio 

Johnson City 

Gail 

Meridian 

Boston 

Angleton 

Bryan 

Alpine 

Silverton 

Falfurrias 

Brownwood 

Caldwell 

Burnet 



231 



232 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 





Area 


POPULATIO- 




Name 


(Square 


(Thirteenth 


County Seat 




Miles) 


Census) 




Caldwell 


530 


24,237 


Lockhart 


Calhoun 


592 


3,635 


Port Lavaca 


Callahan 


882 


12,973 


Baird 


Cameron 


671 


27,1581 


Brownsville 


Camp 


217 


9,551 


Pittsburg 


Carson 


860 


2,127 


Panhandle 


Cass 


945 


27,587 


Linden 


Castro 


870 


1,850 


Dimmitt 


Chambers 


648 


4,234 


Anahuac 


Cherokee 


990 


29,038 


Rusk 


Childress 


660 


9,538 


Childress 


Clay 


1,250 


17,043 


Henrietta 


Cochran 


959 


65 


Unorganized 


Coke 


850 


6,412 


Robert Lee 


Coleman 


1,302 


22,618 


Coleman 


Collin 


828 


49,021 


McKinney 


Collingsworth 


867 


5,224 


Wellington 


Colorado 


948 


18,897 


Columbus 


Comal 


569 


8,434 


New Braunfels 


Comanche 


828 


27,186 


Comanche 


Concho 


941 


6,654 


Paint Rock 


Cooke 


1,000 


26,603 


Gainesville 


Coryell 


1,115 


21,703 


Gatesville 


Cottle 


956 


4,396 


Paducah 


Crane 


850 


331 


Unorganized 


Crockett 


3,004 


1,296 


Ozona 


Crosby 


984 


1,765 


Crosbyton 


Culberson 


3,780 




Van Horn 


Dallam 


1,463 


4,001 


Dalhart 


Dallas 


900 


135,748 


Dallas 


Dawson 


900 


2,320 


Lamesa 


Deaf Smith 


1,477 


3,942 


Hereford 


Delta 


266 


14,566 


Cooper 


Denton 


865 


31,258 


Denton 


Dewitt 


880 


23,501 


Cuero 



APPENDIX 



233 



Name 



Dickens . , 
Dimmit . . 
Donley . . 
Duval . . , 
Eastland 
Ector . . 
Edwards 
Ellis . . 
El Paso . 
Erath . . 
Falls . . 
Fannin . 
Fayette . 
Fisher . 
Floyd . . 
Foard 
Fort Bend 
Franklin 
Freestone 
Frio . . 
Gaines . 
Galveston 
Garza . . 
Gillespie 
Glasscock 
Goliad . 
Gonzales 
Gray . . 
Grayson . 
Gregg . 
Grimes . 
Guadalupe 
Hale . . 
Hall . . 
Hamilton 



Area 
(Square 
Miles) 



918 

1,164 

878 

1,838 

947 

976 

1,937 

1,066 

5,573 

1,110 

844 

940 

992 

836 

1,036 

636 

897 

325 

947 

1,064 

1,590 

438 

821 

1,140 

952 

817 

1,079 

860 

1,012 

287 

770 

717 

1,036 

868 

858 



POPtTLATION 

(Thirteenth 

Census) 



CoiNTY Seat 



3,092 


Dickens 


3,460 


Carrizo Springs 


5,284 


Clarendon 


8,964 


San Diego 


23,421 


Eastland 


1,178 


Odessa 


3,768 2 


Kocksprings 


53,629 


Waxahachie 


52,599 


El Paso 


32,095 


Stephenville 


35,649 


Marlin 


44,801 


Bonham 


29,796 


Lagrange 


12,596 


Koby 


4,638 


Floydada 


5,726 


Crowell 


18,168 


Richmond 


9,331 


Mount Vernon 


20,557 


Fairfield 


8,895 


Pearsall 


1,255 


Seminole 


44,479 


Galveston 


1,995 


Post 


9,447 


Fredericksburg 


1,143 


Garden City 


9,909 


Goliad 


28,055 


Gonzales 


3,405 


Lefors 


65,996 


Sherman 


14,140 


Longview 


21,205 


Anderson 


24,913 


Seguin 


7,566 


Plainview 


8,279 


Memphis 


15315 


Hamilton 



234 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Name 



Hansford 
Harclenian 
Hardin , 
Harris . 
Harrison 
Hartley . 
Haskell . 
Hays . . 
Hemphill 
Henderson 
Hidalgo . 
Hill . . 
Hockley . 
Hood . . 
Hopkins . 
Houston . 
Howard . 
Hunt . . 
Hutchison 
Irion . . 
Jack . . 
Jackson . 
Jasper 
Jeff Davis 
Jefferson 
Jim Hogg 
Jim Wells 
Johnson . 
Jones . . 
Karnes . 
Kaufman 
Kendall . 
Kent . . 
Kerr . . 
Kimble . 



Area 

(Sqviare 
INIiles) 



860 
532 
844 

1,761 
873 

1,460 
843 
647 
860 
040 

1,583 

1,006 
977 
436 
666 

1,102 



850 

800 

858 

888 

977 

1,922 

1,109 

1,099 

868 

740 

900 

740 

932 

613 

777 

1,165 

1,302 



POPULATIO>' 

(Thirteenth 

Census) 



935 

11,213 

12,947 

115,693 

37,243 

1,298 
16,249 
15,518 

3,170 
20,131 
13,728 3 
46,760 
137 
10,008 
31,038 
29,564 

8,881 

48,116 

892 

1,283 
11,817 

6,471 
14,000 

1,678 
38,182 



34,460 

24,299 

14,942 

35,323 

4,517 

2,655 

5,505 

3,261 



County Seat 



Hansford 

Quanah 

Kountze 

Houston 

Marshall 

Channing 

Haskell "^ 

San Marcos 

Canadian 

Athens 

Edinburg 

Hillsboro 

Unorganized 

Granbury 

Sulphur Springs 

Crockett 

Big Spring 

Greenville 

Plemons 

Sherwood 

Jacksboro 

Edna 

Jasper 

Fort Davis 

Beaumont 

Hebbronville 

Alice 

Cleburne 

Anson 

Karnes City 

Kaufman 

Boerne 

Clairemont 

Kerrville 

Junction 



APPENDIX 



235 



Name 



Area 
(Square 

Miles) 



Population 

(Thirteenth 

Census) 



County Seat 



King . . 
Kinney . 
Kleberg . 
Knox . . 
Lamar . 
Lamb . . 
Lampasas 
Lasalle . 
Lavaca . 
Lee . . 
Leon . . 
Liberty . 
Limestone 
Lipscomb 
Live Oak 
Llano . . 
Loving . 
Lubbock 
Lynn . . 
McCulloch 
McLennan 
McMullen 
Madison . 
Marion . 
Martin . 
Mason 
Matagorda 
Maverick 
Medina . 
Menard . 
Midland . 
Milam 
Mills . . 
Mitchell . 
Montague 



928 

1,269 

1,012 

947 

903 

1,021 

755 

1,707 

992 

666 

1,066 

1,162 

987 

850 

1,123 

977 

873 

982 

821 

1,110 

1,080 

1,180 

488 

384 

900 

908 

1,135 

1,332 

1,284 

888 

972 

1,044 

604 

807 

976 



810 
3,401 

9,625 

46,544 

540 

9,532 

4,747 

26,418 

13,132 

16,583 

10,686 

34,621 

2,634 

3,442 

6,520 

249 

3,624 

1,713 

13,405 

73,250 

1,091 

10,318 

10,472 

1,549 

5,683 

13,594 

5,151 

13,415 

2,707 

3,464 

36,780 

9,694 

8,956 

25,123 



Guthrie 

Brackettville 

Kingsville 

Benjamin 

Paris 

Olton 

Lampasas 

Cotulla 

Hallettsville 

Giddings 

Centerville 

Liberty 

Groesbeck 

Lipscomb 

Oakville 

Llano 

Unorganized 

Lubbock 

Tahoka 

Brady 

Waco 

Tilden 

Madisonville 

Jefferson 

Stanton 

INiason 

Bay City 

Eagle Pass 

Hondo 

Menard 

Midland 

Cameron 

Goldthwaite 

Colorado 

Montague 



230 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Name 



Area 
(Square 

Miles) 



Population 
(Thirteenth 

Census) 



County Seat 



Montgomery . 
Moore . . . 
Morris . . . 
Motley . . . 
Nacogdoches . 
Navarro . . . 
Newton . . . 
Nolan .... 
Nueces . . . 
Ochiltree . . 
Oldham . . . 
Orange . . . 
Palo Pinto . . 
Panola . . . 
Parker . . . 
Parmer . . . 
Pecos .... 
Polk .... 
Potter . . . 
Presidio . . . 
Rains .... 
Randall . . . 
Reagan , . . 
Real .... 
Red River . . 
Reeves . . . 
Refugio . . . 
Roberts . . . 
Robertson . . 
Rockwall . . 
Runnels . . . 
Rusk .... 
Sabine . . . 
San Augustine 
San Jacinto . 



1,06G 
885 
278 
984 
962 

1,136 
903 
828 

1,108 
864 

1,470 
392 
971 
814 
888 
873 

5,536 

1,110 
874 

3,970 
252 
872 

1,050 
700 

1,061 

2,610 
802 
8uO 
913 
149 

1,073 
915 
577 
570 
636 



15,679 

561 

10,439 

2,396 

27,406 

47,070 

10,850 

11,999 

21,9554 

1,602 

812 

9,528 

19,506 

20,424 

26,331 

1,555 

2,071 

17,459 

12,424 

5,218 

6,787 

3,312 

392 

28,564 

4,392 

2,814 

950 

27,454 
8,072 

20,858 

26,946 
8,582 

11,264 
9,542 



Conroe 

Dumas 

Daingerfield 

Matador 

Nacogdoches 

Corsicana 

Newton 

Sweetwater 

Corpus Christi 

Ochiltree 

Tascosa 

Orange 

Palo Pinto 

Carthage 

Weatherford 

Par well 

Fort Stockton 

Livingston 

Amarillo 

Marfa 

Emory 

Canyon 

Stiles 

Leakey 

Clarksville 

Pecos 

Refugio 

Miami 

Franklin 

Rockwall 

Ballinger 

Henderson 

Hemphill 

San Augustine 

Coldspring 



APPENDIX 



237 



Name 



San Patricio . 
San Saba . . 
Schleicher . . 
Scurry . . . 
Shackelford . 
Shelby . . . 
Sherman . . 
Smith. . . . 
Somervell . . 
Starr .... 
Stephens . . 
Sterling . . . 
Stonewall . . 
Sutton . . . 
Swisher . . . 
Tarrant . . . 
Taylor . . . 
Terrell . . . 
Terry .... 
Throckmorton 
Titus . . . . 
Tom Green 
Travis. . . . 
Trinity . . . 
Tyler .... 
Upshur . . . 
Upton . . . 
Uvalde . . . 
Valverde . . 
Van Zandt . . 
Victoria . . . 
Walker . . . 
Waller . . . 
Ward .... 
Washin<i:tou . 



Area 

(Square 
Miles) 



700 

1,150 

1,355 

821 

926 

814 

850 

984 

200 

1,223 

926 

821 

777 

1,517 

850 

900 

900 

2,776 

828 

821 

421 

1,503 

1,036 

704 

925 

587 

1,190 

1,579 

3,034 

877 

883 

754 

510 

858 

568 



Population 

(Thirteenth 

Census) 



7,307 

11,245 

1,893 

10,924 

4,201 

26,423 

1,376 

41,746 

3,931 

13,1515 

7,980 

1,493 

5,320 

1,569 

4,012 

108,572 

26,293 

1,430 

1,474 

4,563 

16,422 

17,882 

55,620 

12,768 

10,250 

19,960 

501 

11,233 

8,613 

25,651 

14,990 

16,061 

12,138 

2,389 

25,5«)1 



Coi'NTv Seat 



Sinton 

San Saba 

Eldorado 

Snyder 

Albany 

Center 

Stratford 

Tyler 

Glen Rose 

Riogrande 

Breckenridge 

Sterling City 

Aspermont 

Sonora 

Tulia 

Fort Worth 

Abilene 

Sanderson 

Brownfleld 

Throckmorton 

Mount Pleasant 

San Angelo 

Austin 

Groveton 

Woodville 

Gilmer 

Upland 

Uvalde 

Delrio 

Canton 

Victoria 

Huntsville 

Hempstead 

Barstow 

Brenham 



238 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Name 



Area 
(Square 
Miles) 



Population 
(Thirteenth 

Census) 



County Seat 



Webb. . . 

Wharton . 

Wheeler . . 

Wichita . . 

Wilbarger . 

AVillacy . . 
Williamson 

Wilson . . 

Winkler . . 

Wise . . . 

Wood. . . 

Yoakum . . 

Young . . 

Zapata . . 

Zavalla . . 



3,421 

1,137 

851 

606 

932 

1,850 

1,169 

784 

888 

843 

688 

840 

821 

1,269 

1,328 



22,503 
21,123 

5,258 
16,094 
12,000 

42,228 

17,066 

442 

26,450 

23,417 

602 

13,657 

3,809 

1,889 



Laredo 

Wharton 

Wheeler 

Wichita Falls 

Vernon 

Sarita 

Georgetown 

Floresville 

Kermit 

Decatur 

Quitman 

Plains 

Graham 

Zapata ' 

Batesville 



1 The population is that of Cameron County before the creation of 
Willacy County. 

2 The population is that of Edwards County before the creation of 
Real County. 

^ The population is that of Hidalgo County before the creation of 
Brooks and Willacy counties. 

* The population is that of Nueces County before the creation of 
Jim Wells and Kleberg counties. 

5 The population is that of Starr County before the creation of 
Brooks County. 



=r5f! 




Fio. 128. Coi 




Av OF Texas 



INDEX 



Abilene, 204 

Abilene and Northern Railway, 
119 

Abilene and Southern Railway, 120 

Adder, spreading, 74 

Agates, 110 

Agricultural products, miscellane- 
ous, 90 

Agriculture, 83 

Alamo, the, 162 ; fall of, 128 

Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, 160 

Alligator, 72 

Altered rocks, 6, 8 

Amarillo, 201 

American coot, 71 

American gull, 72 

Amphibians, 72, 78 

Angelina river, 31 

Anglo-American, 122 

Animals, 63 

Animals and plants, characteristic, 
62 

Anolis, Carolina, 72 

Archaean system, 14 

Area of Texas, 3 

Arid conditions, 39 

Armadillo, nine-banded, 65 

Artesian springs, 38 

Artesian water, 12, 36 

Artesian water area, 36 

Artesian water-bearing strata, 12, 
36 



Artesian wells, 36 ; Bosque Farm, 
36 ; Denton, 38 ; Fort Worth, 
38 ; Galveston, 38 ; Houston 
county, 38 ; Marlin, 37 ; AVaco, 38 

Arthropods, 81 

Asphaltum, 102 ; in Anderson 
county, 102 ; at Saint Jo, 102 ; in 
Uvalde county, 102 

Austin, 4, 20, 187 ; Capitol at, 189 ; 
industries of, 190 ; railroads of, 
190 ; rainfall of, 41 ; schools at, 
190 ; university at, 189 

Austin, Moses, 124 

Austin, Stephen F., 124, 128; ap- 
pointed commissioner, 126 ; arrest 
of, 126 ; letter of, 126 ; secretary 
of state, 128 

Austin College, 145, 196 

Austin lake, 32 

Austin marble, 110 

Austin white lime, 106 

Austin's colony, 124 

Austral region, 60, 61 

Austrian population, 154 

Austroriparian division of Lower 
Sonoran zone, 62 

Available school fund, 135 

Bailey, Florence Merriam, quoted, 

67, 70 n. 
Bailey, Vernon, quoted, 69, 70 
Ballinger, 218 



239 



240 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Banded rattlesnake, 77 

Bars, 18 

Basalt, 7 

Bass, large-mouthed black, 78 

Bassaris, Texas, 67 

Bastrop, Baron de, 124 

Bat, 66 

Bay City, 222 

Baylor Female College, 145, 215 

Baylor University, 145, 191 

Bays, 18 

Beaumont, 5, 192 ; industries of, 

192 ; railroads of, 192 
Beaumont, Sour Lake and Western 

Railway, 119 
Beaumont oil field, 100 ; output of, 

102 
Beeville, 220 
Belton, 214 

Bienville, Sieur de, 122 
Birds, 67 

Bison, American, 66 
Black bear, 67 
Black prairie, 12, 20 ; altitude of, 

20 ; soil of, 29 
Black snake, 74 
Blind, institutions for the, 148, 

190 
Blinn Memorial College, 147, 213 
"Blue northers," 45 
Blue Peter, 71 
Bob white, Texas, 70 
Bohemian population, 154 
Boll weevil, Mexican, 63, 64, 81 
Bonham, 212 
"Bonnet martyr," 71 
Boreal region, 60 
Bottom lands, 30 
Boundaries of Texas, 2 ; natural, 3 ; 

surveyed, 3 



Bowie, 226 

Bowie, Colonel James, 164 

Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, 

160 
Brady, 228 
Brant, 71 

Bray, Dr. William L., cited, 54 
Brazos bottom, 30 
Brazos coal field, 98 
Brazos river, 31 
Brenham, 213 
Brick, 107 
Broom corn, 90 
Brownsville, 198 
Brownwood, 207 
Bryan, 215 

Buffalo, or American Bison, 66 
Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado 

Railway, 112 
Buffalo bird, 68 
Building stones, 108 
Bull snake, 74 

Burleson, General Edward, 126 
Burleson, Dr. R. C, 135 
Burnet, David G., 128; President 

ad interim, 132 
Bustamante, Anastasio, 125 
Buzzard, Mexican, 69 ; turkey, 70 

Caddo lake, 32 
"Callahan divide," 21 
Calvert, 229 
Cambrian system, 13 
Cameron, 220 
Canada goose, 71 
Canadian river, 32 
Candy-stick snake, 75 
Cane Belt Railroad, 118 
Capitol, State, 189 
Capitol granite, 14 



IXDEX 



241 



Caracara, Audubon, 69 

Carboniferous system, 13 

Cardinal, 68 

Carolina anolis, 72 

Carolina dove, 70 

Carr-Burdett Christian College, 
145, 196 

Catfish, 78, 79 

Cattle, 93 

Cedars, 55, 56 

Cement rocks, 106 

Cements, 106 

Central basin, 21 ; drainage of, 31 ; 
relief of, 22 ; soil of, 30 

Cereals, 84 

Chalk, 7 

Channel cat, 78, 79 

Chaparral, 59 

Chaparral cock, 69 

Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf 
Railway, 119 

Chickens, 94 

Childress, 217 

Chinati mountains, 28 

Chisos mountains, 25, 27 

Cinnabar, 104 

Cities and towns, 4 

Civet cat, 67 

Claims, French and Spanish, 121 

Clays, 107 

Clear fork of Brazos river, 32 

Clear lake, 82 

Cleburne, 199 

Cline, Dr. I. M., quoted, 48 

Coach-whip, 74 

Coal, carboniferous, 96 ; creta- 
ceous, 98 

Coal fields, Brazos, 98 ; Colorado, 
98 ; Nueces, or Eagle Pass, 98 

"Coal measures," 13 



Coal mining, near Bridgeport, 96 ; 
at Cisco, 98 ; near Rockcreek, 
96 ; near Strawn, 96 ; at Thurber, 
96 

Coal seam, No. 1, 96 ; No. 7, 96 

Coast prairie, drainage of, 17; vege- 
tation of, 58 

Coastal plain, 15 ; drainage of, 31; 
soils of, 29 

Coastal slope, drainage of, 31 

Cold waves, 44 

Coleman, 225 

College, Agricultural and Mechan- 
ical, 139 ; Baylor Female, 145, 
215 ; Bishop, 197; Burleson, 204 ; 
Daniel Baker, 147,207; Howard 
Payne, 147, 207; of Industrial 
Arts for AVomen, 138 ; Wiley, 197 

Colleges, denominational, 144 

Colony, Austin's, 124 

Colorado coal field, 98 

Colorado river, 31, 32, 34 

Colored population, 150 

Comanche, 227 

Commerce, 227 

Common snipe, 71 

Concepcidn, battle of, 126 

Confederate Home, 148 

Conglomerate, 13 

Conventions of colonists, 125 

Coot, American, 71 

Cope, Professor Edward D., quoted, 
73, 74, 75 

Copper, 105 

Corazones mountains, 25, 27 

Corn crop, 84 

Corn-producing counties, 84 

Coronal Institute, 147 

Corpus Christi, 205 

Corsicana, 203 ; oil wells at, 102, 203 



242 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Cos, General, 126 

Cotton, 83 

Cotton crop (1912-1913), 83; in the 
United States (1911-1912), 84 

Cottonmouth, 76 

Cotton-seed oil, 84 

Cotton-seed products, 83, 84 

Coues, Dr. Elliott, quoted, 68, 69, 70 

Counties, areas of, 231-238 ; county 
seats of, 231-238; list of, 231-238; 
number of, 4; organized, 4; popu- 
lation of, 231-238 ; unorgan- 
ized, 4 

County permanent school fund, 135 

Court of criminal appeals, 131 

Courts, of civil appeals, 131 ; com- 
missioners', 132 ; county, 132 ; 
district, 131 ; justices', 132. See 
also Supreme court 

Cowbird, or Cow blackbird, 68 

Cows, milch, 93 

Coyote, 67 

Cretaceous coal, 98 

Cretaceous system, 12 

Crockett, 216 

Crocodilian, 72 

Crop Reporter, 84 n., 85 n., 87 7i. 

Cross timbers, 20, 55 

Crow duck, 71 

Crustaceans, 81 

Cuero, 224 

Cypress, 49, 55 

Dalhart, 229 

Dallas, 4, 20, 164 ; foreign-born 
population, 170; industries of, 
167 ; location of, 167 ; notable 
buildings of, 167; railroads of, 
168, 169, 170; schools of, 168; 
trade of, 167 



Dallas, Cleburne and Southwest- 
ern Railway, 118 

Dallas county, population, 4, 232 

Daniel Baker College, 147, 207 

Davis mountains, 25, 27 

Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Colored 
Youths, Institute for, 148, 190 

Deaf and dumb asylum, 148, 190 

Deer, Texan or fan-tailed, 66 

Delaware mountains, 13, 29 

Delrio formation, 12 

Delta shore lines, 17 

Delta of Trinity river, 17 

Denison, 195 ; railroads of, 195 

Denison, Bonham and New ( )rleans 
Railroad, 118 

Denominational colleges, 144 

Denton, 212 

Denver System, 119 

Departments of goverinnent, 130 

Deposits, nonmarine, 8 ; sea, 8 

Diablo mountains, 13, 27 

Diamond rattlesnake, 77 

Diamond water snake, 75 

Distance, across the state, 4 

Distributaries of Trinity river, 17, 
18 

Distribution of animals, 63, 64 ; of 
rainfall, 39 

Dog-faced rattlesnake, 78 

Drainage, of Central basin, 31 ; of 
Coastal plain, 31 ; kinds of, 31, 
32 ; of older portions of the 
Coastal slope, 31 ; of plateaus, 
32 ; of Rocky mountains, 32 

Dry land moccasin, or copperhead, 
75 

" Dry northers," 45 

Dublin, 230 

Ducks, 94 



INDEX 



243 



Eagle lake, 32 

Eagle mountains, 28 

Eagle Pass, 218 

Eagle Pass coal field, 98 

Early attempts at settlement, 121 

Earthenware, 108 

East Texas timber, 49, 58 

Eastern cross timbers, 20, 55 

Education, 134 

Edwards' massasauga, 76 

Edwards plateau, 23 ; altitude of, 
24 ; forest growth of, 55 ; rocks 
of, 8 ; soil of, 30 

Egret, little white or snowy heron, 
71 

El Paso, 178 ; altitude of, 178 ; ex- 
ports and imports of, 178, 180 ; 
irrigation near, 182 ; mineral 
wealth tributary to, 180 ; rail- 
roads of, 181 ; rainfall of, 42 

El Paso county, area of, 4, 233 

Elberta peach, 87 

Eleemosynary institutions, 148 

" Empire State," 3 

English population, 155 

Ennis, 208 

Eocene system, 11 

Epileptic colony, 148, 204 

Espantosa lake, 32 

Evermann and Kendall, (pioted, 

78, 79 n. 
■Executive department, 131 ; offi- 
cers, 131 

Exogyra arietina, or ram"s-horn 
oyster, 12 

Fannin, Captain J. W., 128, 164 
Fauna, 63 ; of the lower Rio 

Grande, 64 
Fence lizard, 73 



Fertilizers, 111 

Finlay mountains, 28 

Fire brick, 108 

Fishes, 78 

Fishing industry, 80 

Flounder, southern, 80 

Forage, 90 

Foraminifers, 7,12 

Foreign-born population, 153 

Forest growth, of Edwards plateau, 
55 ; of Trans-Pecos mountains, 
56 

Forested area, 19 ; soils of, 29 ; 
topography of, 19 

Forests, 49 ; loblolly pine, 52 ; long- 
leaf pine, 51 ; short-leaf pine, 52 

Fort Clark, rainfall at, 42 

Fort Davis, rainfall at, 42 

Fort Elliott, rainfall at, 42 

Fort Saint Louis, 121, 122 

Fort Sam Houston, 160 

Fort Worth, 4, 174 ; industries of, 
176; railroads of, 174 

Fort Worth and Denver City Rail- 
way, 119 

Fort Worth and Rio Grande Rail- 
way, 119 

Franklin, 178 

French and Spanish claims, 121 

"Frisco" system, 119 

Frog, horned, 73 

Fruit and vegetables, 87 

Gainesville, 206 

Galveston, 4, 182 ; railroads of, 

186 ; rainfall at, 40 ; sea wall at, 

187 ; shipping facilities of, 182 ; 
trade of, 187 

Galveston, Harrisburg and San 
Antonio Railway, 115 



2U 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Galveston, Houston and Hender- 
son Railroad, 112, 117 

Galveston and Red River Railroad, 
112 

Galveston storm, 46 

Garriott, Professor E. B., quoted, 
46, 47 

Garrison, Dr. George P., cited, 132 

Gas, natural, 102, 228 

Gastropods, 81 

"GateCity,'^ 194 

Geese, 94 

Geography, defined, 1 

Geological map, 9 

Geology, relations of, to physical 
geography, 6 

Georgetown, 224 

German population, 154 

Germany, 3 

Girls' Industrial College, 138 n. 

Gold and Silver, 105 

Golden-fronted woodpecker, 69 

Goliad, 123 ; captured by Texans, 
126 ; massacre at, 128 

Gonzales, 222 ; cannon at, 126 

Gould system, 117 

Government of Texas, 130 

Governor, 131 

Governors of the state, 133 

Grand lake, 32 

Grand prairie, 20 ; altitude of, 21 ; 
soil of, 29 

Granite, 7, 14 ; quarries, 108 

Granite mountain, 108 

Granites, Trans-Pecos, 108 

Greely, General A. W., quoted, 44, 46 

Green rattlesnake, 78 

"Green-head," 71 

Greensand marl, 111 

Greenville, 204 



Grimes county, soil of, 29 

Ground, neutral, 123 

Ground cuckoo, 69 

Ground rattlesnake, 76 

Guadalupe mountains, 13, 25 

Guadalupe peak, 25 

Guadalupe river, 31, 32 ; dam at 
Gonzales, 222 

Guano, bat. 111 

Guerrero, President, 125 

Gulf, Beaumont and Great North- 
ern Railway, 118 

Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City 
Railway, 118 

Gulf, Colorado and Santa ¥6 Kail- 
way, 117 

Gulf and Interstate Railway, 120 

Gulf strip, 62 

Gull, common American, 72 ; ring- 
billed, 72 

Gutierrez, Colonel Bernardo, 123 

Gypsum, 7, 12, 13, 106, 111 

Harlequin snake, 75 

Hematite, 104 

Heron, snowy, 71 

Hill, Robert T., 10, 25, 38 

Hillsboro, 208 

History, important events in Texas, 

121 
Hog-nosed snake, 74 
Home, Confederate, 148 
Honey, 94 
Horned frog, 73 
Horned lizard, 73 
Horned toad, 73 
Horses, 93 
Houston, 4,170; buildings, 170; 

industries, 173 ; railroads, 170, 

171 ; schools, 172 



INDEX 



245 



Houston, East and West Texas 
Railway, 117 

Houston, General Sam, 126, 128, 132 

Houston Tap, 113 

Houston Tap and Brazoria Rail- 
road, 113 

Houston and Texas Central Rail- 
road, 116 

Houston and Texas Central Rail- 
way, 112 

Howard Payne College, 147, 207 

Howell, Edwin E., 16 

Hueco mountains, 13, 28 

Humid conditions, 39 

Humid division of Lower Sonoran 
zone, 62 

Hurricanes, 46 

Hutson, William F., quoted, 39, 
40, 42, 43 n. 

Igneous rocks, 6, 7 

Indianola Railroad, 114 

Indianola storm, 46 

Industrial Arts, College of, for 

Young Women, 138 
Industrial College, Prairie View 

State Normal and, 138 
Industries of Texas, 83 
Infirmary, Seton, 189 
Insane asylums, 148 
Insects, 63, 81 
Institute for Deaf, Dumb, and 

Blind Colored Youths, 148, 

190 
International and Great Northern 

Railroad, 117 
Invasion, Long's, 124 
Invertebrates, 81 
Irish population, 155 
Iron furnaces, 103 



Iron ores, 103 

Irrigation, 34 ; Coastal plain, 35 ; 

Delrio, 35 ; Menard, 35 ; North 

Concho, 35 ; Pecos, 35 
Islands of Texas, 17 
Italian population, 155 

Jacksonville, 226 

Jaguar, Mexican, 67 

Jasper and Eastern Railway, 118 

Jefferson, 230 

Judicial department, 131 

Jura-Trias system, 12 

Kansas City, Mexico and Orient 

Railway, 120 
"Katy" system, 118 
Kildee, 70 

Killdeer, or kildeer plover, 70 
"Kingdom" on Galveston island, 

124 
Kite, Mississippi, 69 

La Bahi'a, 123 

La Purissima Concepcidn Mission, 
162 

La Salle, 121 

Ladder-backed woodpecker, 69 

Lafitte, Jean, 124 

Lagoons, 18 

Lakes, 32 ; in Salt basin, 34 ; on 
Staked plains, 32 

Land office, general, 188, 189 

Land plaster. 111 

Ledn, Ponce de, 121 

Laredo, 194 ; railroads, 194 ; ship- 
ments, 194 

Lark finch, or lark sparrow, 68 

Lava, 8 

Lead, 105 



246 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Legislative department, 130 

Legislative meetings, 181 

Libraries, 147 

Lieutenant governor, 130 

Life zones, 60 

Lignite, 11, 96, 98 ; Santo Tomas 

field, 98 
Lignite beds, 12 
Lignite mining, localities of, 98 
Lime, 106 
Limestones, formation of, 7 ; for 

building purposes, 109 
Limonite, 103 

Limpia, or Davis mountains, 27 
Little river, 31 
Little white egret, 71 
Livestock, statistics, 93 
Lizard, 72 ; fence, 73 ; green, 72 ; 

horned, 73; scaly, 73; six-lined, 

74 ; Texan rock, 73 
Llano country, 105 
Llano Estacado, 24 ; altitude of, 

25 ; soils of, 30 
"Llano group," 14 
Loblolly, or swamp pine, 52 
Lockhart, 225 
Long-leaf pine forests, 51 ; area of, 

51^ 
Long's invasion, 124 
Long-view, 210 
Louis XV, King, 122 
Louisiana mud turtle, 72 
Louisiana-Texas boundary, 123 
Lower Sonoran zone, 61 
Lufkin, 228 
Lumber, 51 

McKinney, 213 
Magee's invasion, 123 
Magnetite, 104 



Main University, 144 

Mallard, 71 

Mammals of Texas, 65 

Manufacturing, 94 

Manufacturing industries, 95 

Marble, 8 

Marble Falls, 34, 35 

Marlin, 217 ; deep well at, 217 

Marshall, 196 

Marshall and East Texas Railway, 
120 

Mart, 225 

Massasauga, Edwards', 76 

Matagorda peninsula, 17 

Medical department of the Uni- 
versity of Texas, 144, 187 

Medina, battle of the, 124 

Meetings of legislature, 131 

Memphis, El Paso and Pacific 
Railway, 113 

Merriam, C. Hart, quoted, 64 n. 

Mesas, 27 

Mesquite, spread of, 58, 60 

Metamorphic rocks, 6, 8 

Metamorphism, 8 

Mexican buzzard, 69 

Mexican irritation, 125 

Mexican jaguar, 67 

Mexican population, 153 

Mexican War, 129 

Milch cows, 93 

Mileage of Texas railroads, 120 

Mills, cotton-seed-oil, 84 

Milwaukee brick, 107 

Mineral pitch, 102 

Mineral resources, 96 

Mineral springs, 38 

Mineral Wells, 216 

Mission, La Purissima Concepci6n, 
162 ; San Antonio de Valero, 



INDEX 



247 



162 ; San Francisco de la Espada, 
164 ; San Jose de Aguayo, 164 ; 
San Juan de Capistrano, 164 

Missions, 122 

Mississippi kite, 69 

Missouri, Kansas and Texas Kail- 
way, 118 

Mitchell, J. D., cited, 75 n. 

INIoccasin, dry land (copperhead), 
75 ; water, or stump-tail, 76 

Mocking bird, 67 

Mohair, 94 

Mohr, Dr. Charles, quoted, 51, 52 h. 

INIollusk shells, 12 

Mollusks, 81 

"Mottes," 58 

Mount Emory, 27 

Mount Livermore, 27 

Mountains, Chinati, 28 ; Chisos, 25 ; 
Delaware, 13 ; Diablo, 13 ; Eagle, 
28; Finlay, 28; Guadalupe, 13, 
25; Hueco, 13, 28; Ord, 25; 
Quitman, 28 ; Rosillos, 25 ; San- 
tiago, 25 ; Vieja, 28 

Mountains and basins, region of, 25 

Mourning dove, 70 

Mud cat, 78, 79 

Mud hen, 71 

Mules, 93 

Nacogdoches, 219 

Native white population, 150 

Natural gas, 102, 228 

Navasota, 220 

Navasota river, 31 

Neat cattle, number of, in leading 

states, 92 ; in Texas, 92 ; in 

United States, 92 
Neches river, 31 
Neocene system, 10 



Neutral ground, 123 

New Braunfels, 221 

Nolan, Philip, 123 

Nonmarine deposits, 8 

Normal College, North Texas State, 

137 
Normal College, The West Texas, 

138 
Normal and Industrial College, 

Prairie View, 138 
Normal Institute, Sam Houston, 

135 
Normal School, Southwest Texas, 

137 
North Texas State Normal College, 

137 
" Northers," 44, 45; "blue," 45; 

"dry," 45 ; "wet," 45 
Nueces coal field, 98 
Nueces river, 31, 32 
Nuts, 88 

Oat crop, 85 

Oat-producing counties, 85 
Odd Fellows" Orphans' Home, 203 
Oil (petroleum), 99; at Batson, 
102 ; at Beaumont, 100 ; in Bexar 
county, 102 ; in Brown county, 
102 ; in Clay county, 102 ; at Cor- 
sicana, 12, 102 ; at Humble, 102 ; 
in Nacogdoches county, 102 ; at 
Petrolia, 102, 205; at Saratoga, 
102 ; at Sourlake, 102 ; in Travis 
county, 102 
Oil fields, Beaumont. 100; Corsi- 
cana, 102, 203; Humble, 102; 
Petrolia, 102 
Oil refineries, Corsicana. 102 ; 
Houston, 173; Port Arthur, 102; 
Powell, 102 



248 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Onions, 88, 11)5 

Onyx, golden, 110 

Ooze, 7 

Opal granite, 110 

Opossum, Texas, 65 

Orange, 209 

Ord mountains, 25 

Ordovician system, 13 

Ornamental stones, 108, 110 

Orphans' Home, Odd Fellows', 203 ; 

State, 148, 203 
Oyster, ram's-horn, 12 
Oyster industry, 81 

Padre island, 17 

Painted box tortoise, 72 

Paisano, 69 

Palestine, 199 

Palm Sunday (1836), massacre on, 

128 
Paris, 197 
Paris and Great Northern Railroad, 

119 
Patellina texana, 7 
Peaches, 87, 88 
Peanuts, 90 
Pecan nuts, 88 
Peccary, or wild hog, 66 
Pecos and Northern Texas Railway, 

118 
Pecos river, 32 
Pecos river viaduct, 116 
Pecos River Railroad, 118 
Pelecypods, 81 
Pelican, 71 

Penal institutions, 148 
Peninsulas of Texas, 17 
Penitentiary, at Huntsville, 148 ; 

at Rusk, 148 
Penrose, R.A.F., Jr., quoted, 58, 59 



Permanent school fund, county, 

135; state, 134 
Permian system, 13 
Petrified wood, 12 
Petroleum, 99 
Pilot snake, 74 
Pine, loblolly, 52 ; long-leaf, 51 ; 

short-leaf, 52 
Pine forests, destruction of, 54 
Plain, Coastal, 15 
Plainview, 226 
Plantation, state, 90 
Plants and animals, characteristic, 

62 
Plants of Texas, 49 
Plateau, Edwards, 23; Stockton, 

23 
Plateaus, drainage of, 32 ; region 

of, 22 ; vegetation of, 60 
Plover, 71 

Poisonous snakes of Texas, 75 
Political divisions, 4 
Population, 149; colored, 150; for- 
eign-born, 153 ; of San Antonio, 

157 
Port Arthur, 102, 206 
Post Oak country, 55 
Potato, Irish, 88 
Poultry, 94 

Prairie, Black, 20 ; Grand, 20 
Prairie dog, 66 

Prairie plains, vegetation of, 60 
Prairie rattlesnake, 78 
Prairie View Normal and Industrial 

College, 138 
Prairie wolf, or coyote, 67 
Presidents of the Republic, 132 
Provisional government, 126 
Public schools, 134 
Pumice, 8 



INDEX 



249 



Quail, Texas, 70 

Quanah, 223 

Quartz, 6 

Quartzite, 8 

Quicksilver, 104; furnaces, 104; 

output, 104 
Quitman mountains, 28 

Eabbit, 66 

Kaccoon, 67 

Racer, 74 

Kailroad construction, 114 

Kailroad mileage, 115, 120 

Railroad systems, 115 

Railroads, pioneer, 112 

Rainfall, 39; at Austin, 40; at 
Fort Clark, 42 ; at Fort Davis, 
42; at Fort Elliott, 42; at El 
Paso, 39, 42; at Galveston, 40 

Ram6n, Captain Diego, 122 

Rattlesnake, banded, 77; diamond, 
77; dog-faced, 78; green, 78; 
ground, 76 ; prairie, 78 ; Texas, 77 

Readmission of Texas, 129 

"Red beds," 13 

Red river, 3, 31 ; Sulphur fork of, 
31 

Red snapper, 80 

Redbird, 68 

Reformatory, state, 148 

Region, Central basin, 21 ; Gulf 
slope, 15 ; of mountains and 
basins, 25 ; of the plateaus, 22 

Relief, Central basin, 22 ; classifi- 
cation of, 15 ; Texas, 15 

Representatives, house of, 130 

Reptiles, 72 

Republic, presidents of, 132 

"Republic" on Galveston island, 
124 



Republic of Texas, 128 

Revolution, Texas, 126 

Rice belt, 86 

Rice crop, 87 

Rice-producing sections, 86 

Ring-billed gull, 72 

Rio Grande, 3, 29, 32 ; variations 
in volume, 32 

Rio Grande plain, 19 ; vegetation 
of, 59 

Rio Pecos, 32 

Rivers, 31, 32 ; gradient of, 32 ; 
navigation of, 32 

Road-runner, or chaparral cock, 
69 

Roberts, Governor (). ]\r., 135 

Rock, defined, 10 

Rock Island system, 119 

Rock salt, 7, 105 

Rock systems, 9 

Rocks, altered, 6, 8 ; of the Black 
prairie, 12 ; classification of, 6 ; 
of the Grand prairie, 12 ; igneous, 
6, 7 ; metamorphic, 6, 8 ; sedi- 
mentary, 6 ; Texas, 8 ; of Trans- 
Pecos region, 8 

Rockwall county, area, 4, 236 

Rocky mountain cedars, 56 

Rocky mountain pines, 56 

Rocky mountains, drainage of, 32 

Rosillo creek, battle at, 124 

Rosillos mountains, 25 

Sabine and Galveston Ray Railroad 
and Lumber Company, 114 

Sabine lake, 3 

Sabine river, 3, 31 

Saint Edward's College, 147. lt)0 

Saint Louis, Brownsville and Mex- 
ico Railway, 119 



250 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Saint Louis, San Francisco and 

Texas Railway, 119 
Saint Louis Soutliwestern Railway 

("Cotton Belt"), 117 
Saint-Denis, 121, 122 
Saline near Palestine, 106, 199 ; in 

Van Zandt county, 106 
Salt, occurrence of, 105 
Salt basin, 29, 34 
Sam Houston Normal Institute, 

135 
San Angelo, 200 
San Antonio, 4, 157 ; missions near, 

162 ; parks of, 160 ; population 

of, 157, 158 ; public buildings at, 

158 ; schools of, 160 
San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf 

Railroad, 120 
San Antonio and Aransas Pass 

Railway, 119 
San Antonio and Mexican Gulf 

Railroad, 113, 114 
San Antonio de Valero, mission of, 

162 
San Antonio river, 160 
Sands, 11 
Sandstone, 6 
Sandstones for building purposes, 

110 
San Filipe de Austin, 125 
San Francisco de la Espada, mis- 
sion of, 164 
San Jacinto, battle of, 128 
San Jos6 de Aguayo, mission of, 

164 
San Juan de Capistrano, mission 

of, 164 
San Saba, mission massacre, 122 
Santa Anna, 125, 126, 128 
Santa F6 system, 117 



Santiago mountains, 25 

Santiago peak, 27 

Santo Tomas coal field, 98 

Say's garter snake, 75 

Say's king snake, 74 

Schists, 8 

School funds, available, 135; county 
permanent, 135 ; state perma- 
nent, 134 

Schools, affiliated, 134 ; public, 
134 

Scissor-tailed flycatcher, 69 

Screech owl, Texas, 69 

Sea deposits, 8 

Sears, Dr. Barnas, 135 

Sedimentary rocks, 6 

Seguin, 223 

Semiarid conditions, 39 

Semitropical or Gulf strip, 62 

Senate, state, 130 

Serpentines, 110 

Settlement, first, 121 

Shale, 6 

Sheep, 93 

Sherman, 195 ; educational institu- 
tions, 196; industries, 196; rail- 
roads, 196 

" Shinneries," 56 

Short-leaf pine forests, 52 

Shrimp, 81 

Sierra Diablo, 27 

Silver, 105 

Silver mine, 105 

Simmons College, 147, 204 

Six-lined lizard, 74 

Skunk, 67 

Slates, 8 

Smelters, 180 

Smithville, 221 

Snake-killer, 69 



INDEX 



251 



Snakes, 74 ; black, 74 ; bull, 74 ; 
coral, 75; diamond water, 75; har- 
lequin, 75 ; hog-nosed, 74 ; pilot, 
74 ; poisonous, 75 ; Say's garter, 
75 ; Say's king, 74. See also 
Rattlesnake 

Snapping turtle, 72 

Snipe, 71 

Snow, 44 

Snowy heron, 71 

Soft-shell turtle, 72 

Soils, 29 ; Black prairie, 29 ; Cen- 
tral basin, 30 ; Coastal plain, 29 ; 
Edwards plateau, 30 ; Forested 
area, 29 ; Grand prairie, 29 ; 
Grimes county, 29 ; Llano Esta- 
cado, 30 ; residual, 29 ; trans- 
ported, 29, 30; Washington 
county, 29 

Sorghum, 90 

Southern Kansas Railway, 118 

Southern Methodist University, 145 

Southern Pacific Railway, 113 

Southern Pacific system, 115 

Southwest Texas Normal School, 
137 

Southwestern University, 145, 224 

Spanish rule, 122 

Speckle-check woodpecker, 69 

Spindle-top Heights, 100 

Spreading adder, 74 

Springs, 38; Dalby, 38; Hynson's 
Iron Mountain, 38, 197; Mineral 
Wells, 38, 210 ; Rosborough, 38, 
197; Wootan Wells, 38 

Squirrel, 66 

Staked plains, 24 ; altitude of. 25 ; 
rocks of, 8 

Staked plains formations, 10 

Stamford, 216 



State library, 148 

State Orphans' Home, 148, 203 

State permanent school fund, 134 

State of Texas, 1, 129 ; compara- 
tive size of, 3 

Stejneger, Leonhard, quoted, 76, 
77 w., 78 

Stephenville, 229 

Stephenville, North and South Rail- 
way, 120 

Stock raising, 90 

Stockton plateau, 23 ; rocks of, 8 

Storm, at Galveston, 46 ; at Indian- 
ola, 46 

Strata 6 ; in Gulf slope, 10 

Strawberries, 88 

Stump-tail moccasin, 76 

Sugar cane, 90 

Sugarland, 90 

Sulphur, 106 

Sulphur fork of Red river, 31 

Sulphur Springs, 210 

Supreme court, 131 

Sunshine in Texas, 48 

Swedish population, 154 

Sweetwater, 214 

Swift, tree, 73 

Swine, 93 

Systems, Archean, 14 ; Cambrian, 
13 ; Carboniferous, 13 ; Creta- 
ceous, 12 ; Eocene, 11 ; Jura-Trias, 
12 ; (^rdovician, 13 ; Pennian, 13; 
Recent and Neocene, 10 

Taylor, 209 

Taylor formation, 12 

Teague, 219 

Teal, 71 

Temperature of Texas, 43 

Temple, 198 



252 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS 



Terlingua quicksilver district, 104 

Terrell, 206 

Texan bird of paradise, 69 

Texan rock lizard, 73 

Texarkana, 201 

Texarkana and Fort Smith Rail- 
way, 120 

Texas, area of, 3 ; attractive fea- 
tures of, 1 ; boundaries of, 2 ; 
cities and towns of, 4, 157, 194, 
201, 212 ; counties of, 4, 231 ; 
forests of, 49 ; government of, 
130 ; governors of, 133 ; political 
divisions of, 4 ; Republic of, 128 ; 
rocks of, 8, 9; state of, 1, 129; 
temperature of, 43 ; timber of, 
49, 58 ; wealth of, 2 

Texas Bob white, 70 

Texas Central Railroad, 119 

Texas Christian University, 145, 
178 

Texas cotton area, map of, 85 

Texas and Gulf Railway, 118 

Texas Mexican Railway, 120 

Texas Midland Railroad, 120 

Texas and New Orleans Railroad, 
114, 116 

Texas and Pacific Coal Company, 
96 

Texas and Pacific Railway, 114, 
117 

Texas quail, 70 

Texas Railroad and Navigation 
Company, 112 

Texas rattlesnake, 77 

Texas screech owl, 69 

Texas woodpecker, 69 

Toad, horned, 73 

Tobacco, 90 

Tomatoes, 88 



Tortoise, painted box, 72 

Trade winds, 45 

Transition zone, 61 

Trans-Pecos forest growth, 56 

Travis, Colonel William B., 128, 
162 

Tree swift, 73 

Trinity and Brazos Valley Rail- 
way, 120 

Trinity river, 31 ; distributaries of, 
17, 18 

Trinity sands, water-bearing, 37 

Trinity University, 145, 208 

Tropical region, 62 

Turkey vulture, or buzzard, 70 

Turkeys, 94 

Turtle bay, 17 

Turtle dove, 70 

Turtles, Louisiana mud, 72 ; snap- 
ping, 72 ; soft-shell, 72 

Tyler, 199 

University of Texas, 143 ; library, 
148; Main University, 144; medi- 
cal department, 144 

Upper Sonoran zone, 61 

Uvalde, 215 

Vacancies in offices of judges, 

132 
Vegetables, 87 
Vegetation, 49 ; of Coast prairie, 

58 ; of plateaus, 60 ; of Prairie 

plains, 60 ; of Rio Grande plain, 

59 
Vernon, 221 
Victoria, 217 
Vieja mountains, 28 
Viper, or spreading adder, 74 
Vulture, turkey, 70 



INDEX 



253 



Waco, 5, 190 ; industries of, 191 ; 

railroads of, 191 ; schools and 

colleges at, 191 
War, Civil, 129 

Washington county, soil of, 29 
Water moccasin, 70 
Water power, 34 ; at Austin, 34 ; 

from Colorado river, 34 ; near 

Delrio, 35 ; from Guadalupe 

river, 34 ; at Marble Falls, 34 ; 

at San Marcos, 34; from San 

Saba river, 35 
Water-bearing strata, 36 
Watermelons, 88 
Waters, surface and underground, 

31 
Wax, 94 

Waxahachie, 207 
Weatherford, 211 
Weatherford, Mineral Wells and 

Northwestern Kail way, 117 



Western Cross timbers, 20 
"Wet northers," 45 
Wheat crop, 85 
Wheat-producing counties, 85 
White population, native, 150 
Wichita Falls, 205 
Wichita Falls and Oklahoma Rail- 
way, 119 
Wichita Falls Railway, 118 
Wichita Valley Railroad, 119 
AVichita Valley Railway, 119 
Wild goose, 71 

William M. Rice Institute, 144 
Wilson snipe, 71 
Winds, mean direction of, 45 
Wood, petrified, 12 
Wool growing, 94 
Wool-producing counties, 94 

Yoakum, 213 
Ysleta, 121 



